Some Muslim intellectuals feel that KCR cannot be trusted for his words
Nikhat Fatima, Siyasat.net
A call was given for all the Muslims of Hyderabad to offer namaz near the secretariat on January 24 2021. Many people especially youth and other leaders from congress and other political parties responded to this call and offered namaz on the roads near the secretariat. This move was not appreciated by the Hyderabad police as there was no permission for this kind of protest through namaz and it was causing inconvenience to the public. The police had begun house arrest in the morning itself to prevent the Muslims from praying on the road for the afternoon namaz. However the conveynor of JAC of Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh, Mushtaq Mallik had dodged the police and was present for the namaz with many supporters in the afternoon.
The police detained many people for violating the laws. They demanded that the masjids be built as assured in the beginning when they were demolished.
The government of Telangana had demolished the heritage site ‘Saifabad Palace’ which served as the secretariat for the erstwhile chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh state which was undivided. When a separate statehood was granted and the Telangana State was formed the first Chief Minister of the State Shri K Chandrashekar Rao did not use the secretariat on the pretext that it was not right as per the Vastu. Therefore he decided to demolish the old structure and build a new secretariat in its place in compliance with Vastu.
On 7th July when the secretariat building was razed to the ground to pave way for the new secretariat, 2 mosques and a temple were also demolished angering people from the Hindu and Muslim community. One of the mosques was an ancient one dating back to nearly 100 years old.
The Muslims of Hyderabad demanded that the masjids be rebuilt at the same spot and staged protests. The CM who feigned ignorance at first later announced that a much more beautiful masjid would be built pacifying Muslims.
However ever after 6 months there was no sign of even laying a Foundation stone for the mosque. So Mushtaq Mallik, President of the Joint Action committee ( JAC) set up for the building of the mosque together with several supporters gathered near the secretariat to begin the Masjid movement.
The CM has acknowledged the protest and instructed some government representatives to hold a meeting with Muslim scholars and assure them of rebuilding the mosques. The CM has also assured that the foundation stone for the mosque will be laid on 26th February.
However, some Muslim intellectuals feel that KCR (the CM) cannot be trusted to keep his promises. Misbah Adnan, a political analyst said, how many of the promises made to the Muslims by the CM have been fulfilled so far? In the beginning, when the mosques were demolished, the CM had assured to lay the foundation stone in the month of October. And in October he promised that he would do it after the GHMC (Municipal) elections. Even after the municipal elections he failed to do so. Now that he has promised the stone would be laid in the month of February 2021. Though this is a moral victory for us, we have to wait and see if this promise will be kept.”
Mushtaq Mallik Mohammed who attended the meeting expressed that the CM was unaware about the mounting anger amongst the Muslim community till he saw them coming out on the roads to offer namaz. However, if the foundation stone is not laid on February 26, the movement for rebuilding the 2 mosques will begin again.
Khalid Hassan, President of Awami Insaaf Movement, says that earlier also 2 more masjids were demolished; one, during the reign of Congress and another, during the reign of the present TRS government, headed by KCR. Says, he, “No Masjid is more relevant than the other. So, ignoring Shamshabad & Amberpet Masajid to agitate for Secretariat Masjid doesn’t make sense. Fight for all the three, if fighting is what gives you your rights”.
“Now the foundation stone for the masjid at the Secretariat complex will be laid in February along with one for a temple. The temple was also demolished when the secretariat was razed. JAC has been relentlessly demanding for restoration of not just the mosque but also for the temple” said Misbah feeling that the Hindutva groups should recognize that Muslims are secular.
Mushtaq Mallik has said that the Muslims should be allowed to offer namaz at the site where the masjids stood after clearing the debris. The foundation stone can be laid in February and the construction work can also take place then but till that happens the Muslims will continue to offer prayers. But the officials responded that after clearing the debris and constructing a boundary wall and once the foundation stone is laid in February namaz can be offered regularly at the site.
The CM has also assured that the mosques will be built at the same spot where they once stood. But some section of the Muslim community are uncertain about the same spot and also if it will be both mosques or just one in place of two mosques.
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