Silence of Muslim leaders raises doubts in the minds of Muslims
By Nikhat Fatima siyasat.net
Hyderabad: On 7th July when the secretariat building was razed to the ground to pave way for the new secretariat to suit the Vastu for the Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao, two mosques situated in the premises were also razed to the ground.
While the CM feigned ignorance and gave a public statement that is he is hurt over this incident, the chairperson of Wakf Board Mohammed Saleem said the mosques were damaged as the walls of the building fell on the mosques.
Another Muslim leader of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) The Home Minister gave empty assurances that the mosques would be built at the same site.
Party chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi threatened a massive protest if the mosques were not built on the same site.
There should have been a consultation with the mosque authorities before demolishing the mosques which was not done. Instead the roads leading to the secretariat were blocked; the muezzin and Imam were disallowed entry in the mosques 3 days in advance and in the early hours of the morning the damage was done in a underhand manner. Even the Muezins had no idea that the mosques would be demolished. There is no proper information about the prayer mats and the Holy Quran in the mosques although some newspapers carried the news that they were all shifted but some employees have said that the materials in the mosques have gone in the rubble and were not removed.
A fact finding committee has been set up by the Joint Action committee to ascertain the truth about this but so far no facts have been revealed by the committee.
In the beginning just before the demolition of the Secretariat building, spokes- person of MBT ( Majlis Bachao Tehreek ) Amjadullah Khan had written to the Wakf Board to protect the masjids as they were under the Wakf Board of Telangana. And once the news spread about demolition the people burnt effigies of CM to express anger.
After all this anger from the Muslims, the CM assured that he would build an ever more beautiful mosque at the same place on the lines of the grand mosques in Saudi Arabia. This pacified the Muslim leaders and their supporters who happily thanked the CM and laid the matter to rest.
But now that it is close to a month there is no talk about the construction of the mosque – one instead of the 2 that were demolished. If sources are to be believed there is no plan for a mosque in the blue print of the secretariat at the original spot. Instead there is a road at the site where the mosque once stood.
Muslim political leaders are trying to seek an appointment but no appointment is being given to them.
The Muslims are slowly realizing that there is much more than what meets the eye. There are talks that the Muslim employees of the secretariat knew before- hand that the mosques would also be demolished but they remained silent. And why are the Muslim political leaders who were so aggressive in the beginning now silent? Is it possible that they had also secretly consented to the demolition of the mosques? Why did the Chairperson of the Wakf Board and the Home Minister Mehmood Ali mislead the public? Do the Muslim political leaders need an appointment to meet the Chief Minsiter? Can’t they meet without a prior appointment like they did in the past? Why is it that to represent the issue of the mosque they need an appointment? Will they withdraw the support to the CM if he does not keep his promise?
Khalid Hassan, Secretary of Awami Insaaf Movement said in a matter of fact manner, “Earlier Masjid Teen Khana was demolished in Amberpet with the pretext of road widening more than a year ago. And so far it has not been rebuilt despite assurances. Masjid in the airport has been demolished some years back and still not rebuilt despite several agitations from the last several years. So I doubt the secretariat masjid is going to be built”.
Dr Aleemuddin Falki, chairperson of social reforms society in an article written by him says that if a mosque is demolished to build a larger mosque in its place, it is justified because even in Saudi Arabia they demolish a mosque and then build a bigger one in its place. But here the mosques have not been demolished for a constructive purpose. It is just to appease the desire to have a new building in accordance with Vastu.
The vastu was right for the then late CM N T Rama Rao, Late Y S Rajshekar Reddy, Chandra Babu Naidu and others then how does it become wrong for K Chandrashekar Rao? He asked in his article.
The 2 mosques were in use and the employees of the Secretariat and other government departments would offer namaz there. On Fridays even other public used to come for Namaz. This gesture by the present government is seen by many Muslims as anti-Muslim even though the CM has claimed that his government is secular.
“At a time when people are fighting the pandemic and it is a matter of life and death, our CM felt the need to build a new secretariat that costs nearly 500 crores; it is clear that he does not care for the public who are facing tough times with no jobs and shortage of resources”, said a youth leader Misba.
Even as the disappointment and anger of the Muslims is visible they are also wary of both the Muslim leaders and the Government about the promises made. Only time will tell whether a new mosque will be built and if it is built will it be at the same spot?
(www.siyasat.net is Ahmedabad,Gujarat, India based website)
