Old City Metro Rail JAC mulls fighting elections

Charminar: Cutting across the political spectrum, leaders and social activists who took part at a round table conference echoed the idea of transforming the pressure group of All Party JAC for Old City Metro Rail into a full-fledged political coalition to ‘depose the incumbent’ leaders who have been ‘proving to be hurdle’ for development in this part of City. 

Speaking at the round table organised by Old City Metro Rail Joint Action Committee, former corporator and Congress leader Mohammed Ghouse lauded the collective effort of all the political parties who after forming a pressure group pushed for Metro Rail in Old City. Describing the recent protest march and arrests of leaders from different political groups over the issue, he said that collective effort was paying-off and these political grouping should not only reinforce itself, but also take on the might of local political party MIM in the upcoming elections. 

“In spite of no representation of ours (Old City) in the Assembly or Council, we were able to exert pressure on the ruling party and its ally MIM. If this pressure group can strengthen itself in the upcoming elections, we can bring in change and decide the future course of Old City and achieve development. Hence all the political parties should sacrifice their individual outlook for the sake of development in the next elections,” he said. 

All India Sunni Ulema Board chairman and president, Moulana Syed Hamed Hussain Shuttari said that bringing developmental projects to Old City can happen only if these political parties fighting for Metro Rail also make collective effort in upcoming elections. He said that recent visit by the Metro Rail MD, N V S Reddy, along with MIM MLAs to Old City was nothing but eyewash, as there was no budget allocation to substantiate it. The issue for next election should be development in the Old City and welfare of the poor. “People should vote for political party which declares ‘manifesto’ on Wakf properties and ensures its protection. The Old City should give importance to education and Wakf properties should be utilized for generating revenue in this endeavour,” he added.

Social activist and former TDP leader, Osman Bin Mohammed Al Hajri said that the political parties of the JAC should bury their differences, as this was an opportunity to put a unified struggle against the ‘Pharaoh’s of time’, who have amassed hundreds of crores of wealth at the cost of people’s welfare. “Thousands of acres of Wakf land has been usurped by the incumbent MLAs and MP. I call upon Hindus and Muslims to vote for a common candidate, if this political grouping comes up in these elections for the sake of development in Old City and to ensure peace,” he exclaimed. 

Mohammed Abbas, State General Secretary, Awaaz (affiliated to CPM) also echoed the idea emphasised the need for unseating the incumbent MP, MLAs and even Corporators in the Old City towards ensuring development. E T Narasimha, Secretary CPI Hyderabad Council who organised the programme demanded the Metro Rail authorities to begin work at the 21-acre site at Falaknuma, if they are serious about the alignment. The programme was attended by former MP and CPI national executive member, Aziz Pasha, Congress leader, Raja Ratnam, BJP leaders, Pasham Surender, Ch Roop Raj and others.

BY Md Nizamuddin