KCR Contradicting Himself On Demolition: Congress

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy strongly condemned the demolition of places of worship in the Secretariat complex, and also described Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's reaction to the issue as adding insult to injury.

Reddy said that the statement given by KCR on the damage caused to a mosque and a temple during the demolition of the Secretariat structures was self-contradictory.

"It is extremely unfortunate that the temple and the mosque in the Secretariat complex, which were considered very sacred by all the government employees and all others in both erstwhile AP and now Telangana, were seriously damaged/demolished in the ongoing Secretariat demolition. If the Secretariat demolition was itself bad enough and a Tughlaq-like decision, the damage of the temple and the mosque now have hurt the sentiments of people belonging to all communities," he claimed.

Reddy also said that the Chief Minister's claim that while demolishing the multi-storied old buildings, the temple and the mosque adjacent to the old buildings were damaged due to debris falling on them proved that the demolition was carried out in a haphazard manner.

The impact of the demolition was not analysed and no precautions were taken to protect the places of worship, which included a heritage structure, he alleged.

Reddy found fault with the Chief Minister for not consulting the religious heads of the temple and the mosque before carrying out the demolition.

He also claimed that several laws pertaining to the protection of places of worship and preservation of heritage structures were violated.

The TPCC chief said that the CM's statement assuring construction of a new mosque and a new temple indicated that the places of worship were completely damaged. Else, the Chief Minister would have promised only immediate repair and restoration.

Further, he pointed out that the Chief Minister had not promised construction of the temple and the mosque at the same place. The CM's assurance was quite vague, which showed that he (the CM) had no intention of reconstructing the damaged places of worship at the same place, Reddy said.

Reddy claimed that KCR had lost the trust of people belonging to all communities. If a mosque and a temple right in the Secretariat complex were not safe from illegal demolition, then places of worship everywhere in Telangana were unsafe under the TRS regime, he claimed.

He said that the Chief Minister had set a bad precedent, and it might now become a norm to demolish any place of worship and say sorry later.

"KCR is trampling upon the religious sentiments of those people who made him what he is today. He will get a befitting reply from the Hyderabadis at an appropriate time," Reddy said.