Mohammed Ali Shabbir Slams BRS Regime Over Secretariat Mosque Demolition

Mohammed Ali Shabbir, government adviser for SC, ST, BC, and minorities affairs, strongly criticised the previous BRS regime on Friday, alleging betrayal of the Muslim community over the mosque located in the Secretariat premises. Shabbir Ali, along with prominent religious figures, attended Friday prayers at the mosque, inspected the premises and engaged with worshippers. 

In a media briefing later, Shabbir Ali accused the BRS government of K. Chandrashekar Rao of betraying the Muslim community by demolishing Masjid Hashmi and Masjid-e-Moatamadi in July 2020 to facilitate the construction of the Secretariat.

Initially, Rao denied the demolition of mosques. However, he later admitted to their demolition and promised to rebuild them at the same location. Shabbir Ali alleged that the mosques were



relocated and were significantly smaller, contrary to promises. He said a church was built at the former location of Masjid-e-Moatamadi. The size of Masjid Hashmi was reduced by more than half to 18x18 feet, and the Masjid-e-Moatamadi to 48x48 feet from its original 100x60 feet, limiting its capacity from 500 to 200 worshippers.

Shabbir Ali also expressed concern that the Rao government had misled top religious leaders who participated in the mosques' foundation stone-laying ceremony on November 25, 2021. He claimed that doubts raised by the Congress regarding the mosques' location were dismissed, and neither Congress leaders nor religious heads were permitted near the new site during construction. Shabbir Ali claimed that all fears raised by Congress leaders proved true in the end.