Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Smithi (BRS) MLA T Harish Rao on Monday, October 20, visited the Bhagyalakshmi Temple in Hyderabad on the occasion of Deepawali.

After offering prayers at the temple located near Charminar, Rao said, “Our culture is remarkable because it upholds traditions such as having a temple for the Goddess within Charminar, where Hindus respect Muslims and Muslims respect Hindus.”

The former Telangana finance minister said that he prayed for the progress of Hyderabad and the prosperity of the people of Telangana. A video shared on social media shows the MLA offering prayers at the temple.

Reacting to the killing of a rowdy sheeter in Nizamabad, Rao said, “Today we are seeing that the Telangana police is defenceless, it is unfortunate that a constable was shot dead by a rowdy sheeter.”

Criticising Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy over the incident, the BRS MLA said, “The chief minister also holds the home portfolio, but if the police themselves are not safe, the Telangana government has failed to ensure security and safety of the people.”

Earlier on Monday, Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy, governor Jishnu Dev Verma and Union minister G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar extended Deepavali greetings to the people of Telangana.