City forum calls for protection of Charminar

Hyderabad Forum for Peace and Communal Harmony has sought Andhra Pradesh governor's intervention to protect the Charminar and other monuments and common heritage of the city.

A delegation of the forum comprising of eminent personalities called on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan Thursday to demand that the government remove all religious structures which came up on public lands after 1947.
The delegation led by forum convener and editor of Urdu daily Siasat Zahid Ali Khan said the archaeology department and the government did not act responsibly, which resulted in an illegal temple coming up on the precincts of Charminar.
The memorandum pointed out that the old photographs and other record show that the temple did not exist there a few decades ago.
The forum voiced concern that the events of the last two weeks over extension of the temple abutting Charminar vitiated peaceful atmosphere in the city with communal forces exploiting the issue for political gains to drive a wedge between communities.
"Competitive communalism has raised its ugly head in view of the political developments at the centre and in the state ahead of 2014 elections," the memorandum said.
The delegation also brought to the governor's notices the police excesses in the old city. It alleged that police created curfew-like situation, disrupting normal life and terrorising people.
The delegation included former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Hasnuddin Ahmed, conservation activist Anuradhana Reddy and former MP and CPI-M leader P. Madhu.
IANS