HC orders status quo on Charminar temple

HC orders status quo on Charminar temple

Situation Tense, Cops Brace Up For More Trouble

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Hyderabad: The high court on Monday directed the state government and its police and archaeology departments to maintain status quo (as on October 30, 2012) in respect of the safety of the structure of the Charminar. The division bench comprising acting chief justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and justice Vilas V Afzalpurkar passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Mohsin Bin Abdullah Balala, the GHMC corporator representing Patherghatti division who has charged authorities with allowing the alleged expansion of Bhagya Lakshmi temple under Charminar. 
    Appearing for the petitioner, senior counsel Bojja Tarakam told the court that any expansion and tinkering with the pillars of the monument would threaten the safety of the structure and hence should not be allowed. Scaffolding has been put up and that has been done by tinkering with the pillars of the protected monument, he said. 
    The bench, while acknowledging the existence of a temple under the structure, said that since Charminar was a protected monument, no construction should be taken up by any party, including the temple committee, which may cause damage to it. And, authorities should maintain status quo as was prevailing on October 30, the bench observed. 
    The bench gave authorities four weeks in which to file their counters. 
    The latest HC order to maintain status quo at Bhagyalakshmi temple has created more trouble for police. To implement the order, tarpaulin roof of the make-shift structure has to be put back in its place. Incidentally, people of the community supported by MIM have been opposing it for the past few days. “The temple management started removing tarpaulin of the pandal on October 31 to replace it with a new one. So, as per the court’s order, the tarpaulin has to be put on the pandal,” a Charminar police officer said. 
    “As of now, we do not know when the temple management will put up the tarpaulin. But whenever they wish to do that, we will provide the necessary bandobust and security,” the officer said. The situation is likely to remain tense at Charminar till Diwali. 
    Meanwhile, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi approached the State Human Rights Commission alleging harassment by police towards members of a particular community. According to the petition, Owaisi stated that imposing Section 144 of the IPC in parts of Old City in the name of communal clashes was causing of inconvenience to the public. He demanded that it should be lifted immediately as the police had even imposed traffic restrictions. Admitting the case, chairperson of the commission Justice Kakru ordered the DGP and chief secretary of the state to inquire in to the issue and submit a report within 48 hours.

RAF personnel stand guard near Charminar on Sunday night