Hyderabad: Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan condemned the alleged damage to Shamshabad dargah on Thursday, October 29. He accused Shamshabad Police of failing to prevent a group of 20 to 25 people from damaging the century-old religious institution.
Khan alleged that individuals associated with the BJP and RSS obstructed repair work at Dargah Hazrat Syed Ibrahim Sha Qadri Hussaini. The religious site is located at Saath Amrai in Shamshabad.
According to Khan, the group damaged the newly repaired boundary wall and iron mesh in the presence of police personnel. He also alleged that officers threatened the dargah’s caretaker instead of preventing the damage.
The MBT spokesperson demanded criminal action against those responsible and an investigation into the alleged police inaction.
Damage to Shamshabad dargah followed objections to repairs
Mohammed Yousuf Qadri, the dargah’s Mutawalli, said workers had undertaken repairs ahead of the approaching Urs-e-Shareef celebrations. He explained that the boundary wall and iron mesh required restoration. Additionally, rainwater had begun entering the premises following the construction of a bridge in the area.
The water intrusion had raised concerns about the condition of the religious institution. Therefore, the caretaker initiated repairs to protect the premises before the annual religious observance.
However, Qadri said some local residents objected to the maintenance work on Wednesday, October 28. Following those objections, Shamshabad Police allegedly summoned him to the police station and instructed him to discontinue the repairs.
Despite the reported instruction, Qadri resumed the work early on Thursday morning. He alleged that approximately 20 to 25 people subsequently arrived at the dargah and stopped the workers.
The group allegedly damaged newly restored sections of the structure. It also caused further damage to the existing boundary wall and iron mesh. According to the caretaker, the individuals raised “Jai Siya Ram” slogans and threatened him during the confrontation.
Khan alleged that Shamshabad Police personnel witnessed the incident but failed to intervene. He further accused the officers of warning the Mutawalli against undertaking additional maintenance work at the religious institution.
MBT approaches Telangana Wakf Board over damage to Shamshabad dargah
After receiving information about the incident, Khan visited the dargah to assess the situation. He subsequently brought the allegations to the attention of Telangana State Wakf Board Chairman Azmath Ullah Hussaini and Chief Executive Officer Asad Ullah.
Khan urged both officials to submit a written complaint to Shamshabad Police without delay. He also requested immediate steps to repair the damaged boundary wall and iron mesh.
Furthermore, he sought measures to protect the dargah and ensure peaceful arrangements for the approaching Urs-e-Shareef. The MBT spokesperson expressed concern about what he described as repeated incidents affecting Muslims and their religious institutions across Telangana.
He specifically referred to mosques, dargahs, chillas and aashoorkhanas while raising concerns about their security. Khan claimed that Telangana had witnessed 53 incidents involving attacks on Muslims or damage to Muslim religious institutions since the Congress government assumed office.
He accused the police of failing to take effective preventive measures during the tenure of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. These figures and allegations were presented by Khan in the MBT statement.
Khan demands action against police personnel
Khan alleged that communal incidents and attacks on religious institutions had contributed to insecurity among Muslims in Telangana. He also referred to the alleged registration of cases against members of the Muslim community.
“There appears to be mob rule in Telangana instead of the rule of law,” Khan said. The MBT spokesperson demanded that the Telangana government and senior police officials immediately examine the Shamshabad incident.
He called for appropriate criminal cases against those responsible for the alleged damage. Additionally, he sought an impartial investigation into the incident and the conduct of police personnel present at the location.
Khan demanded disciplinary action against any officers found to have neglected their duties or facilitated the damage. He also called for adequate police protection to prevent further incidents at the religious site.
Apart from demanding accountability, Khan urged the authorities to restore the damaged portions of the dargah immediately. He specifically sought reconstruction of the boundary wall and repairs to the iron mesh.
The MBT spokesperson also requested measures to prevent rainwater from entering the premises following the nearby bridge construction. According to the statement, the caretaker had raised concerns about water entering the religious property before the latest confrontation.
Khan maintained that individuals or groups should not obstruct lawful maintenance work at religious institutions. He urged the Telangana State Wakf Board, Police Department and state government to coordinate protective measures.
He also requested arrangements to ensure that the Urs-e-Shareef celebrations could proceed peacefully. The demands formed part of a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of Majlis Bachao Tehreek in Hyderabad on October 29.