Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said on Saturday that the temple and two mosques that were damaged in the demolition of the old Secretariat building will be built again in the same location with government funds. He added that the foundation stones for the places of worship will be laid at the end of the legislative session, and construction work will be completed in a speedy manner. The new secretariat is slated to come up in the same location, and the places of worship will be constructed in the same spot that they had stood before.
Earlier in July, the places of worship were damaged and religious leaders from the community, including Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and the BJP, threatened to protest against the state government. The CM had then expressed regret about the same and said that the damaged places will be rebuilt.
On Saturday, KCR held a meeting with Owaisi and other members of the Muslim community at Pragathi Bhavan and discussed the construction of new mosque at the Secretariat and other issues. It was decided that the Telangana government would construct both the mosques on 750 square feet of land each, and one will include Imam quarters. These will be constructed at the same place that the older ones were, and their administration will be handed over to the state Wakf Board.
The temple meanwhile will also be constructed on a total land of 1500 square feet, and its administration will be handed over to the Endowments department.
Further, the CM said that as per demands from the Christian community, the Secretariat will also have a church.
“Telangana State treats all religions equally. It will practice religious tolerance. It is a symbol of Ganga Jamuna tehjeeb. Hence, new places of worship are constructed in the new secretariat for all the religions,” KCR said.
He added that the government will be expediting the construction of Anees-ul-Gurbah, an institution which gives shelter to the orphaned Muslim children and educates them. Eighty percent of the construction work is complete, he said, and for the remaining, another Rs 18 crore will be released.
The government has also decided to set up an Islamic Centre in Hyderabad in line with international standards, for which a plot of land has been allocated. While there has been a delay in the construction of the same due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the work will begin soon, the CM assured.
Among other things, KCR announced that Rangareddy and Medchel Collectors had been asked to identify lands to have burial places around Hyderabad, so that 150-200 cemeteries can be created. He also said that the state is recognizing Urdu as the second official language, and will initiate programmes for the language’s protection and development under the Official Language Commission. A Vice President connected with Urdu language will be appointed in the Commission.
Home Minister Sri Mohammed Ali, MP Sri Asaduddin Owaisi, MLA Sri Akbaruddin Owaisi, All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Moulana Mufti Khaleel Ahmed, Board Secretary Moulana Khalid Saifullah Rehmani, Board member and Majlis Ulema-e-Deccan President Moulana Syed Qubul Badhshah Shettari, Mautamim Darul Ulum Rehmania, President Jamaiyat Ulema-e-Hind Moulana Mufti Ghiasuddin Rehmani, Amir-e-Jamia Nizamia Moulana Syed Akbar Nizamuddin Hussaini, Ameer-e-Jamat-e-Islamia Moulana Hamid Mohammed Khan Sahib, Tamir-e-Millat Vice President Moulana Ziauddin Nayyar, All India Muslim Personal Law Board Member and Hyderabad Nazim Darul Uloom Moulana Raheemuddin Ansari and others participated in this meeting with the chief minister.