Demolition of shrines within Telangana\'s Secretariat draws ire of religious parties
Hyderabad: The reported demolition of two mosques and a temple within the premises of the old Secretariat complex in Hyderabad has invoked sharp reaction from leaders of two communities. A report published in an Urdu daily about the demolitions triggered furious reactions from a cross-section of people.
In a statement, leaders of the United Muslim Forum (UMF) — MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, Moulana Syed Shah Ali Akbar Nizamuddin (Chancellor, Jamia Nizamia), Moulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani (secretary, Muslim Personal Law Board), Moulana Safi Ahmed Madani (Ahle Hadees), Moulana Hamid Mohammed Khan (state President, Jamaat-e-Islami) — condemned the alleged demolition of mosques.
They said that this will hurt the sentiments of Muslims. By demolishing the mosques, chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had lost their trust, they said.
They demanded that the government reconstruct the mosques failing which Muslims would be forced to protest. The UMF leaders condemned the inaction of the Wakf Board in protecting the mosques.
State president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Rama Raju said that it was unfortunate that even places of worship were no longer safe.
“We can preserve these places and prepare a design without harming them. If displacing them was necessary then both communities had to be taken into confidence with a promise to rebuild them. The government should not hurt the religious feelings of any community,” he contended.
State president Jamiat Ulema Hind Moulana Hafiz Peer Shabbir Ahmed said it was a tragic development for the community.
“Earlier a mosque was demolished in Amberpet for road-widening and on our protest, the government promised to rebuild it. However, no action has been taken so far and now the government has razed two mosques. No Muslim leader from his party has objected but we will not remain silent. We will call for protesting against the demolition before the mosques,” he said.
TS BJP chief spokesperson K. Krishna Sagar strongly condemned the “atrocious and brazen conduct” of the government in reportedly demolishing a temple and two mosques inside the Secretariat building complex.
He said “BJP will take up a grassroot level agitation if these places of worship have been demolished. We warn the government of serious consequences for this insensible and insinuating act”.
