French President images trampled on Hyderabad roads

Hyderabad: Posters of French President Emmanuel Macron with a footprint on his face appeared by the morning hours on Sunday, in different localities of Old City. Even though Civic workers and police removed the posters pasted on the roads in some of the localities, most were left out much to the amusement of the passersby.

Even as the protests continued in the city over Prophet Cartoon row, posters pasted on roads attracted attention. Particularly roads in Jahanuma, Vattepally, Santosh Nagar and other areas in Old City, witnessed this novel kind of protest. In Jahanuma police removed to reduce the distraction of commuters travelling on the road.

"As a part of agitation, people were seen pasting the posters on main roads during wee hours so that vehicles deface the French President's picture by passing over it. The posters were also pasted on pavements, showing Macron with a footprint over his face and calling him a demon," said Syed Hakeem, a resident of Vattepally.

Some of the protestors also started circulating a video of Jahanuma on social media, which went viral. In this clip vehicles can be seen passing over the posters and pedestrians were seen trampling.

Meanwhile, at I S Sadan x roads posters were pasted at traffic signals. "Some people pasted a poster on roads and commuters were also happily taking their vehicles over it. Later, the police officials removed the posters", said a shopkeeper in Jahanuma.

Meanwhile on Sunday, a group of Muslims under the leadership of Maulana Hussamuddin Jaffar Pasha held a protest march from Akbarbagh X roads to Malakpet fire station. Condemning the way Macron handled the sensitive issue and over his uttarances, the protesters also carried placards, chanting slogans 'Boycott Macron' and 'Boycott France'. The protesters were also holding Indian flags.

"Islam is a religion of peace, the act by the French president is an extreme violation of Muslim sentiments and all Muslims will stand united against such blasphemous entities, irrespective of their geographical, ideological and sectarial differences, and appealed the Muslims to boycott French products," Maulana Jaffer Pasha said.