Hyderabad: A parking lot altercation between a jeweller and a local resident has snowballed into a “Marwadi Go Back” campaign, which has now spread from Hyderabad to nearby towns such as Toopran and Amanagal in Telangana. Protesters allege that “Marwadis,” a term broadly used for traders from Gujarat and Rajasthan, are hurting the business interests of locals.

On Friday, protests intensified, with student groups and traders staging demonstrations at several locations in the city. In Habsiguda, activists of the OU Joint Action Committee (OU JAC) and Adivasi Student Union held a protest outside Navkar Gold, a Marwadi-owned jewellery shop. The agitators burnt tyres, raised “Go Back Marwadi” slogans, and condemned the arrest of OU JAC chairman K. Tirupati. Police intervened swiftly, taking protesting student leaders into preventive custody.

At the same time, Ibrahimpatnam saw a large-scale rally by local traders, with hundreds participating in a bike rally across Sagar Highway, Manchal Road, and Old Bus Stand Road. Protesters raised slogans such as “Marwadi Hatao, Telangana Bachao” and “Go Back Marwadi, Save Telangana.” Several shops dealing in groceries, textiles, and jewellery voluntarily shut in support of the bandh call.

This agitation continues despite the original parking dispute being settled as a personal matter. The protests have since drawn support from poets, intellectuals, and small business groups, who argue that local traders in small towns with populations under five lakh face stiff competition from outside traders.

Calling for calm, Subhash Agarwal, president of the Telangana Pravasi Samaj Welfare Association, urged a peaceful resolution, noting that around 45 lakh migrants from across India have lived harmoniously in Telangana for decades. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar also defended the traders, saying they have generated wealth, created employment, and contributed significantly to the state’s GDP.

With both student and trader participation, the protests have escalated tensions across the state, prompting police to maintain strict vigilance to prevent further unrest. DeshGujarat