True to poet Allama Iqbal's famous verse ‘mazhab nahin sikhata apas mein bair rakhna', a group of religious leaders sent out a message of love and brotherhood here on Saturday.
Leaders of different faiths visited the desecrated places of worship around the city on Saturday as part of an initiative taken up by COVA, a voluntary organisation. They included Rev. Prabhakar Rao (United Church, BHEL), K. Srinivas (Arya Samaj), Syed Hamed Shuttari (All India Sunni Ulema Board), Omim Maneckshaw Debara (Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman). Mazhar Hussain, Executive director, COVA, was also present.
The team went around three temples and three mosques around the city. They interacted with the management committees of the places of worship and congratulated them for preventing a major law and order problem by calming down their community people.
“It is a ploy by some vested interests and we should not allow them to succeed,” said Omim Maneckshaw Debara, Trustee, Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman interacting with the management of the Masjide Thaggi Jail at Nimboliadda.
Miscreants threw pieces of meat and desecrated the place a few days ago to rake up communal tensions “We tried our best and stopped the situation from deteriorating. We counselled the youth too,” informed Yousuf Ali Khan, a member of the masjid committee to the team.
K. Srinivas, a member of Arya Samaj, said the miscreants had no attachment to any religion nor were they god fearing, as no religion preached hatred. He advised the people to form peace committees involving members of all communities and build strong relations.
At the Sri Peepaleshwar Hanuman Sai Temple at Moghalpura, Syed Hameed Suttani, working president, All India Sunni Ulema Board condemned the act of miscreants who threw pieces of meat.
“We are staying here happily for years and there was never any trouble,” said Prakash Shukhla, priest of the temple. The team also visited Masjid e Ibrahim Khaleelullah at Bahadurpura, Pochamma Temple at Nandi Muslaiguda, Hanuman Temple, Kurmaguda and Masjide Aazmi at Narayanguda.
