Hyderabad, Aug 29 (IANS) The organisers of the Milad-un-Nabi procession in Hyderabad have decided to defer it to September 14 in view of the Ganesh festivities.

Like last year, the Markazi Milad Juloos Committee has come forward to postpone the procession.

Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, is scheduled to be celebrated on September 5, while the 11-day Ganesh festivities conclude on September 6 with the immersion procession.

AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, party leader in Telangana Assembly Akbaruddin Owaisi, along with Milad Juloos Committee leaders, met Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, they requested him to arrange illumination of historic mosques and dargahs and ensure free electricity supply on the occasion of Milad.

The committee members also sought permission to organise processions across the state on September 14.

Milad and Ganesh festivities had also coincided last year. On a request by the Chief Minister, the Milad Committee had postponed the procession.

The Committee had requested the Chief Minister to permit them to organise year-long celebrations of the Prophet’s 1,500th birthday in 2025, and he had said that the government would give permissions as per the rules.

Every year, the Committee takes out a procession in the old city of Hyderabad to mark Milad.

For the second year in a row, Milad is coinciding with the Ganesh festivities. The 11-day Ganesh festival began on August 27.

Idols installed across the city are immersed in lakes in and around the city on different dates. However, the majority of the idols are immersed on the final day with a massive procession.

Police have already made elaborate security arrangements for the festival. About 30,000 policemen will be deployed to maintain peace and ensure the smooth conduct of the immersion procession on September 7.

–IANS

ms/vd