Two Muslim organisations staged a protest during the visit by Union Minister for Minorities Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to Hyderabad on Saturday over his silence on the lynching of Muslims by cow vigilantes.

Condemning Naqvi's silence, Tehreek-e-Muslim Shabban (TMS) and Darasgah Jihad-o-Shadat (DJS) tried to stage a sit-in at Haj House.

Police arrested the leaders and activists of the two organisations and shifted them to a police station.

Mild tension prevailed as TMS President Mushtaq Malik had an argument with the police officers, who refused to allow any protest.

Malik told reporters that they wanted to stage a peaceful protest and meet Naqvi to submit a representation over the killings. He said the BJP government was allowing the 'gorakshaks' to lynch Muslims in the name of cow protection.

Naqvi was in Hyderabad to attend the annual conference of state channelising agencies of the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation.

However, he did address criticism by AIMIM MLA Jaffar Hussain Meraj, who demanded that the Minister condemn the killings that took place in the name of protecting cows.

"Look, a country will move towards development when there is unity, brotherhood, love in the country. The forces which are enemies of this brotherhood will be dealt with firmly. Forces that spew venom must be isolated. This will be our unity, this will be out strength. Whatever forces these may be, they are enemies of the country and brotherhood. We strongly condemn them. In this day and age, these forces will not be spared," he was quoted as saying.

IANS inputs