Police on Monday cracked down on civil society organisations protesting against resurvey of the Mustafa Khan Masjid area at Naya Qila where the Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA) has taken up construction activity. The protestors, numbering about 24, were taken into preventive custody and later released.
In pursuance of the High Court orders, the Wakf Board recently submitted a report stating that there is evidence of graveyard and other archaeological structures in survey No. 40 measuring 28 acres and 11 guntas.
However, a resurvey was carried allegedly on the pressure of HGA.
“Where is the need for a resurvey when the Wakf Board has already submitted a report. It is nothing but an attempt to change the contents of the earlier report to suit the interests of HGA”, said Jasvin Jairath, a social activist.
Wakf Board chairman, Syed Ghulam Afzal Biabani, said the resurvey was done on the orders of government. He said the Wakf Board would adhere to its earlier stand and there would be no change in its report.
Ms. Jairath expressed surprise at the way the Golkonda police swooped down on ‘peaceful' protestors, pulled down their shamiana while leaving untouched the one put up by HGA.
Nexus alleged
She saw a nexus between the HGA and government agencies to manipulate the Wakf Board report.
A decision to resurvey the area was taken by the Tourism secretary, Jayesh Ranjan, before proceeding on leave, she said.
Ms. Jairath said the HGA had recently dumped about 100 lorries of mud adjacent to the Mustafa Khan mosque and it was not possible to carry a survey without first removing the mud. She further criticised the police for giving the impression that the civil society organisations were trying to foment communal trouble.
The protest meeting attended by members of SOUL, Heritage Watch and Forum for Better Hyderabad demanded acceptance of the Wakf Board report submitted to High Court, removal of encroachments of moat and electric poles installed recently by HGA in the prohibited area. The meeting also wanted restoration of the Hanuman statutes dumped unceremoniously towards inner wall of the fort and fixation of FTL of Naya Qila tank.
