Place approved design of new Telangana Secretariat in public domain: Mohammed Ali Shabbir

Hyderabad: Former Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir has strongly condemned Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for not giving clarification on the re-construction of places of worship demolished in the Secretariat complex.

In a media statement, he pointed out that after the Congress party raised objection over illegal demolition of two mosques and one temple on July 8, the Chief Minister issued a vague statement apologising for the demolitions. He also gave an assurance that a new mosque and temple will be constructed along with the new Secretariat building. Both his apology and offer were rejected and it was demanded that he order immediate re-construction of places of worship at the same place.

"As always, CM KCR did not react and went into hiding. He conducted a review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan on Tuesday and finalised the new design for the Secretariat and the press release sent by the CMO did not mention a word about re-construction of places of worship. This is shocking," Shabbir Ali said.

Shabbir Ali said that the Chief Minister has already committed a sin of hurting the religious sentiments by illegally demolishing the two mosques and a temple and now he was trying to disrespect their feelings by not re-constructing them at the same place. "CM KCR, in the first clarification, tried to give an impression that some damage was caused to the mosques and temple when debris of other structures fell on them during demolition. If it was incidental and non-intentional, then the State Government should've ordered immediate repair and restoration. But the present stand of CM KCR clearly suggests that the demolition of two mosques and a temple was deliberate and planned. They were the first structures in the Secretariat which were razed to the ground," he said.

The Congress leader demanded that the State Government place the approved design of the new Secretariat building in public domain to reassure the people that two mosques and a temple were being re-constructed at the same place. "There was no question of agreeing to shift the mosque to some other place even if the Chief Minister offers 100 acres of land. CM KCR should not indulge in the misadventure of playing with religious sentiments of any community. No one is opposing a modern Secretariat although we questioned the timing of its construction. But we cannot support construction of any building by demolishing the places of worship," he said.

Shabbir Ali warned that the Congress party would never allow the construction of a new Secretariat until the government re-construct two mosques and the temple at their original place. He also condemned the stand taken by MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi and said that people would never forgive him for supporting CM KCR over demolition of mosques. He announced that the Congress party would soon announce the schedule for a series of agitation against the demolition of places of worship.