Masjid demolition in Andhra Pradesh protest By Majlis

MiM President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi meeting Religious Scholars .
Govt under MIM fire on shrine demolition[ 18 Apr, 2005 ]
HYDERABAD: A day after officials tried to implement the government's initiative for free roads by trying to demolish a shrine at Patancheru, the state government began a damage-control exercise on Sunday. Not satisfied with the rebuilding of a compound wall that was demolished on Saturday, a group of Muslim religious and political leaders led by MIM supremo Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi met chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy at his office on Sunday evening, and registered their strong protest over the demolition. After meeting the CM for about half an hour, the delegation told the media that Rajasekhara Reddy had assured them that no religious structure would be displaced without taking local religious leaders into confidence. Owaisi Sr said the chief minister had also agreed to conduct an inquiry into Saturday's incident. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said the delegation also demanded the suspension of the Medak joint collector for leading the demolition drive. The government has promised to rebuild the shrine with the Wakf Board funds The compound wall was restored by Sunday evening. Asaduddin Owaisi said his party would not allow places of worship to be demolished in the name of development. "We've never committed to the administration that we would cooperate in shifting mosques," he said. MCH additional commissioner M V Satyanarayana said the corporation would not touch any religious structure without the consent of the local people and religious leaders. "We'll provide money and alternate sites to groups coming forward to shift the structures," he said.