HYDERABAD: Referring to an official letter from Cyberabad police commissioner CV Anand to the commissioner of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, in which the former has sought action in the case of 17 places of worship of the minority community that were allegedly constructed without prior permission, the Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) on Tuesday approached the State Minorities Commission stating the letter had caused “uncertainty, restiveness and consternation to the minority community”.
The religious structures in question were built, according to the letter, during a 12-year period (from 15 years to 3 years ago) in Shastripuram Housing Society in Mailardevpally village in Rajendranagar. MBT leader Amjed Ullah Khan termed the letter a result of “exaggerated jealousy, particularism and sectarianism”. Khan said that it was evident from the letter that no one had raised objection to the construction of religious structures and that there have been no law and order issues.
“The question is why he enquired about religious structures of minority community in this area? Has he enquired about places of worship of other communities? He has to first take action in regard to illegally- raised structures of the majority on the lands and premises belonging to the police department. But he ignored it and asked the GHMC authorities to take action in the case of constriction of places of worship of the minority community,” said Khan.
The letter, dated April 25, 2015, he said, states that the mosques were built illegally as per the police commissioner’s inquiry. Shastripuram Housing Society, which was formed in 1971, purchased 284 acres of land and sold out plots, 90 pc of which were purchased by Muslims.