BRS leaders allege plan to demolish Tarbund Muslim graveyard for Hyderabad express corridor

BRS minority leaders alleged that the Congress government plans to demolish the historic Tarbund Muslim graveyard near Bowenpally for an express corridor project. Locals have objected to the move and demanded that the GHMC identify an alternative alignment.

Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) minority leaders alleged that the Congress government was planning to demolish the Muslim old graveyard at Tarbund near Bowenpally for construction of express corridor and demanded an alternative be worked out.

A delegation of BRS minority leaders along with local people had visited the ‘Tarbund Khabrasthan’, located on Bowenpally road and inspected the place on Sunday. After a survey for the road widening, the GHMC authorities marked the extent of the land to be taken over. The State government is constructing an elevated corridor between Paradise Junction and Dairy Farm Road on NH-44 and the graveyard is situated on the proposed project route.

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“The GHMC is waiting for the completion of Jubilee Hills by-elections, the very next day of the by-poll the graveyard will be demolished,” said BRS Minority Cell State General Secretary, Abdul Muqeet Chanda.

The graveyard is more than a century old, according to local residents. “Our ancestors were laid to rest here. Despite our objections, the GHMC is going ahead with the proposal. Hundreds of graves will be demolished in the process,” rued Mohd Yaseen, a local resident.

The local people had formed a committee to safeguard the graveyard land. “At least half of the graveyard will be acquired for the express corridor. It has become a habit for the Congress party to demolish mosques and graveyards for road widening or other projects,” added Muqeet Chanda.

A few weeks ago, the municipal authorities in Kodangal municipality had demolished the Muslim graveyards, an ashoorkhana and chilla mubarak on the Kodangal road for widening. Following the incident, the BRS leaders and other local Muslims held a protest and were arrested by the police.