As ED questioned Kavitha, banners saying ‘#ByeByeModi’ and depicting PM as Ravana pop up in Hyderabad

The banners and hoarding appeared even as the ED began questioning the BRS MLC K Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy scam.

ByAjay Tomar

Published Mar 11, 2023 | 8:59 PMUpdatedMar 11, 2023 | 8:59 PM

Anti PM Modi posters once again surfaced on 11 March in Hyderabad.

Posters, banners and hoardings against Prime Minister Narendra Modi popped up again in Hyderabad, even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) began questioning BRC MLC and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s daughter in New Delhi on Saturday, 11 March.

The ED summoned her to its headquarters to probe her alleged role in the Delhi excise policy scam.

The posters, with the hashtag #ByeByeModi, accused the Union government of harassing and threatening Opposition leaders who do not toe the BJP line.

Ministers join BJP due to fear of raids

The posters carried the photos of some of the leaders who joined the BJP from other political formations.

Some of them included Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, West Bengal BJP chief Suvendhu Adhikari, businessman MP Sujana Chowdhary from Andhra Pradesh, and former Union Minister Narayan Rane.

The posters alleged that these politicians switched over to the BJP fearing raids by the ED and CBI.

Another hoarding depicted Modi as Ravana, the 10-headed demon king of the epic Ramayana.

Terming the prime minister “Destroyer of Democracy”, and “Grandfather of Hypocrisy”, it alleged that Modi is misusing agencies like ED, CBI, Income-Tax Department, and others for political gain.

Related: Kavitha may be arrested, says KCR;  asks BRS cadres to be prepared

Posters not the first time

Ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Telangana in November last, banners saying “Modi no Entry to Telangana” had appeared at several places in Hyderabad.

A Money Heist-inspired poster against PM in Hyderabad.

A Money Heist-inspired poster against PM in Hyderabad. (Supplied)

The banners, which carried a photograph of Modi, also raised a demand: “Rollback 5% GST on handloom products [sic].”

In July 2022, a Money Heist-inspired hoarding was seen at LB Nagar Circle in Hyderabad.

“Mr. N Modi, we only rob banks, you rob the whole nation [sic],” the hoarding read, displaying images of the hit Netflix show about a bank robbery by masked criminals.

The BRS (then TRS) and the BJP were also locked in a poster war ahead of the latter’s national executive meeting in July in Hyderabad.

BRS cadres protest in Delhi

Hundreds of BRS cadres and supporters protested against the questioning of Kavitha at the Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi.

While chanting slogans against the BJP and Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay Kumar, they burnt Sanjay in effigy.

On 10 March, Kavitha had gone on a day-long hunger strike at Jantar Mantar demanding the Central government to table the Women’s Reservations Bill in Parliament when the Budget session resumes on 13 March.

Related: Delhi liquor scam: Arun Pillai seeks to withdraw statement given to ED