Congress To Hold Black Flag Protests Against Secretariat Demolition

The Congress has decided to organise a statewide protest against the demolition of places of worship in the Secretariat complex.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by former minister & ex-Leader Of Opposition in the Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday.

The meeting, convened by Hyderabad City Congress Committee Minorities Department chairman Sameer Waliullah, was attended by senior leaders including TPCC Vice President Zafar Jaweed, TPCC Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin, TPCC General Secretary S K Afzaluddin, Congress Nampally In-Charge Feroz Khan and others.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Shabbir Ali announced that the Congress would organise a statewide protest against the demolition of two mosques and a temple in the Secretariat complex.

He said that the demolition was totally illegal and aimed at hurting the sentiments of all communities.

He said that the Chief Minister was treating Telangana as his personal "jagir" and destroying its heritage without any consideration for the sentiments of the people, and needed to be taught a lesson.

Shabbir Ali rejected the apology tendered by the Chief Minister over the demolition of the places of worship, and described it as fake and deceptive.

He said that KCR's claim that he was ignorant about the demolition was a joke and the biggest lie ever.

He also rejected KCR's offer to construct a new mosque, and said that the mosques Masjid-e-Hashmi and Masjid-e-Moatamadi in the Secretariat complex should both be re-constructed immediately.

He said that there was no question of shifting the mosques to any other places. The Muslim community would never agree to the shifting of any mosque even if the Chief Minister offered to build a new one a 100 times bigger and using gold and diamonds, he claimed.

The Congress leader said that there was no question of any compromise on the issue as it concerns the faith of all Muslims. He asked the Chief Minister to order the re-construction of the places of worship at the same place without any delay.

Shabbir Ali said that in the first phase of the protest, the Congress would appeal to its cadre and other people to hoist black flags at their residences.

They would also wear black masks and badges.

He said that this would be organised on a massive scale and people of all communities would be involved in the protest.

He said that the mode of protest in the second phase would be decided after consulting with the party's High Command.

Later, the Congress leaders burnt the effigy of KCR outside Gandhi Bhavan. Congress workers raised slogans against KCR and the TRS government.