Congress To Book Multiple FIRs Against Demolition of Mosques in Secretariat

Hyderabad, July 26 (Maxim News): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Minorities Department Chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail informed that the District Presidents of Congress Minorities Department have been asked to lodge a police complaint against the demolition of places of worship in the State Secretariat.

Abdullah Sohail, along with Hyderabad Congress Minorities Department Chairman Sameer Waliullah, was speaking to media persons after holding a video-conference with the Chairmen of Minorities Department of all districts on Sunday.

He informed that it has been decided to file a Public Interest Litigation in the Telangana High Court against the demolition of two mosques in the Secretariat. He said all DCC chairmen have been asked to intensify the protest by hoisting the black flags at all prominent locations in their respective districts. He said the campaign on social media against the illegal demolition of Secretariat mosques would be intensified. He urged the common people to post their videos on social media platforms condemning the demolitions. He said all DCC Chairmen of Minorities Dept have been asked to lodge complaints against the demolition and register multiple FIRs against those responsible for the demolition.

Abdullah Sohail strongly condemned the Wakf Board for not lodging a police complaint against the demolition of mosques. He said that both the mosques were demolished on July 8 and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao himself has confirmed the demolitions on July 10. However, the Wakf Board, which is the custodian of both the mosques in the Secretariat, did not even lodge a formal complaint. “The Wakf Board functions as per the Central Wakf Act and it is the Board’s duty to protect the Wakf properties and take action when anyone tries to encroach upon those properties.”Masjid-e-Hashmi and Masjid-e-Secretariat have registered Wakf properties. Their land did not belong to the Revenue or other department although they were located in the Secretariat premises. No department of State Government had any authority to encroach upon those properties and demolish the mosques. The demolition was totally illegal and criminal in nature. The Wakf Board should lodge an FIR to seek custody of land belonging to both the mosques and start their re-construction,” he demanded.

The TPCC Minorities Dept Chairman also asked Home Minister Mahmood Ali, Wakf Board Chairman Mohammed Saleem and MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi to specify the ground on which they are claiming that CM KCR would re-construct the mosques at the original place. “Have they seen the design of the new Secretariat and the new mosque? Did they had any one-to-one interaction with the Chief Minister on the issue?” he asked adding that TRS leaders were openly misleading the Muslims on the issue as the Chief Minister has not given assurance of reconstructing the demolished mosques at the same place. Further, he said that the Chief Minister has been promising construction of only one mosque while two mosques have been demolished by the government. Does it mean that CM KCR is directly asking the people to forget the other mosque?” he asked.

Abdullah Sohail said that the Congress party would launch a signature campaign after the Bakrid festival. (Maxim News)