Hyderabad: Toilet construction by GHMC at graveyard gate sparks row

Hyderabad: Within days of the arrest of TS Wakf Board officials by Uppal police for raising objection over road widening involving NHAI at graveyard, another issue this time involving GHMC has cropped up on Wednesday.

The toilet construction by GHMC which ignored the Wakf Board's objections is drawing ire, even as police arrested over a dozen MIM activists for staging a protest near the site.

Mild tension was witnessed at Feelkhana graveyard and mosque at Begum Bazar trigger row after construction activity purported of public toilets was started by the GHMC despite TS Wakf Board's objection. As the news spread, the MIM activists reached the spot and resorted to the demonstration, prompting the arrest of scores of them. The construction activity was only stopped after Mohammed Khasim, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wakf, reached the spot. Earlier on October 3, the CEO wrote to the City Police Commissioner urging him to help Wakf Board protect its lands. He pointed out that the graveyard in question with 2090.6 sq yards is a notified and registered Wakf property. Despite making it clear that the Inspector Auditor (Wakf Circle 2) tried to fix up the irongate for protection of the graveyard, the SHO Begum Bazar stopped, citing there was a stay from High Court.

"As per office record, there is no suit is pending with regard to the subject institution. The interference of SHO is highly objectionable and against the Wakf Board," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, some Muslim leaders picked up the issue and also wrote the MA & UD Minister, KTR. The leaders questioned as to how the GHMC with the help of police had gone ahead with the construction of toilet works at the entrance of the graveyard in spite of the Wakf Board's objection and officials on spot asked them to stop the work immediately.

In his letter addressed to Minister K Taraka Rama Rao, MBT leader, Amjedullah Khan pointed out that the Wakf Board erected a new gate but the local BJP Corporator objected to erecting of the gate and Begum Bazar police booked a case against the Graveyard Committee members and Wakf Board officials. "Very sad that we can't fix a gate to our graveyard, whereas today BJP Corporator along with heavy police and GHMC stated damaging the graveyard wall and gate and started constructing the toilets again. It's very a shameful act to erect a toilet at the graveyard entrance," he added.