Hyderabad: After opposition parties and women’s organisations, right-wing groups, including Bajrang Dal, have also opposed the 72nd Miss World Beauty Pageant, scheduled in Hyderabad from May 10 to 31.
Bajrang Dal has opposed conducting the beauty pageant amid a “war-like situation” with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Telangana Bajran Dal Convenor Shiv Ram demanded that the event be cancelled. He said everyone should make an effort to encourage sentiments of nationalism among people.
He warned that people will not keep quiet if the government conducts such an event instead of standing by the Indian Army in the present situation.
Citing Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s statement that the state government has no money to meet the demands of the government employees, the Bajrang Dal leader wanted to know how it mobilised funds for conducting Miss World.
“You are saying the state is facing a financial crisis, but how did you get the money to host this international beauty pageant?” he asked.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has also opposed the beauty pageant. It criticised the government for planning various programmes at temples and termed it a “cultural jihad”.
The organisation demanded that the government withdraw its decision to hold the pageants in holy spots like Ramappa Temple, Yadagirigutta, and Ananthagiri Hills.
Women’s groups have also strongly opposed the event. They termed it inappropriate and demeaning to women.
Various women’s organisations, including All India Mahila Samskritik Sanghatan (AIMSS) and National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), along with some student unions and youth organisations, held a rally in Hyderabad, demanding that the government cancel the event.
Main opposition party Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has slammed the Congress government for its “lopsided priorities”. It accused the government of extravagant spending at the time of financial distress.
BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao targeted the government for spending Rs.200 crore on the event even while claiming that it has no money to meet the crucial financial obligations like salaries of government employees, pension and welfare schemes.
Chief Minister Reddy on Monday ordered the officials to make elaborate arrangements for the successful conduct of the Miss World
He asked the police to step up surveillance and make strict security arrangements for the beauty pageant in which contestants from 116 countries are participating.
The Chief Minister called for making every programme from the inauguration at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium on May 10 to the grand finale on May 31 a success.
He asked officials to provide necessary transport and other facilities to the Miss World contestants for their visit to Charminar, Lad Bazaar, Telangana Thalli statue in the Secretariat and many other tourist places in the state.
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