The continued closure of shops around Charminar, the economic hub of old city, has come in for sharp criticism from different quarters. With curfew-like situation prevailing here for the last four days, all business activity has come to a standstill. The most affected are the daily wage earners, footpath vendors and push-cart fruit sellers.
While the normal life is thrown out of gear, patients seeking treatment in the Unani hospital near Charminar and other government hospitals are put to lot of misery. Even doctors and other staff are finding it difficult to reach the hospitals.
The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, which severed ties with the Congress, sees this ‘economic blockade’ as a deliberate attempt to hit hard the Muslim economy. “Autos are not plying and hawkers are not allowed to sell. This is causing immense loss to the small time traders”, said Majlis president, Asaduddin Owaisi.
At a press conference here on Wednesday he demanded immediate opening of shops on the Charminar road and end to the ‘police siege’. The Majlis leader expressed apprehensions that the Kiran Kumar government was bent on creating a buffer zone by stopping all economic activity around Charminar.
“This government is in a bad shape and if it continues to act in a mad way people will not forgive it. This harassment will not go in vain”, he warned. Mr. Owaisi later called on the Police Commissioner, Anurag Sharma, along with a delegation of United Muslim Action Committee, and sought immediate lifting of restrictions.
The Majlis leader also hinted at Muslims offering ‘salam’ at the Chilla in Charminar premises on Friday. All the authorised ‘mashaiqeen’ would be there. “Let them stop and see”, he warned.
The Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC) took strong exception to the human rights violation in the old city. In the name of law and order, police had curbed the human rights reducing the city to a police barrack.
In a letter submitted to the State Human Rights Commission, the CLMC general secretary, Lateef Mohammed Khan, sought a direction to the police commissioner to withdraw Section 144.
Mr. Khan urged the SHRC chairman, Justice Nisar Ahmed Kakru, to visit the old city and address the civil rights violation.
The Forum For a Better Hyderabad too demanded immediate restoration of normality in the old city.
