The new secretariat complex to be built by the Telangana government in place of the recently demolished old structures in front of the picturesque Hussainsagar lake in Hyderabad will reflect religious harmony.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday announced that the new secretariat premises will have a temple, a church and two mosques. He said he would lay the foundation stone for these places of worship soon.
Rao said the government respects all religions equally and hence it had decided to build places of worship of all faiths at the secretariat.
He made the announcement during his interaction with a delegation of Muslim leaders led by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
The delegation met him to discuss the plans of rebuilding the two masjids that were pulled down along with the other structures during the dismantling of the old secretariat complex in July.
The chief minister said two mosques would be constructed in the same places where there were located in the past in the old secretariat premises. Each mosque would be built in an area of 750 square yards (total 1500 square yards) including a quarter for Imam. After the construction, the mosques would be handed over to the State Wakf Board.
Similarly, a temple will be constructed in 1500 square yard area and after the construction, it will be handed over to the endowments department. Since there was a demand from the Christian community, the government will construct a church as well.
KCR told the delegation that he would lay the foundation stone for all three places of worship on the same day after the completion of the monsoon session of the assembly commencing on September 7.
“Construction works will be launched and completed on a fast note mirroring the true ‘Ganga Jamuna Tehjeeb’ of the state,” he said.
KCR further said the government had decided to set up an Islamic Centre in Hyderabad with international standards. A piece of land was allocated for the purpose and works on this project would also be put on fast track very soon.
