No final resting place for deceased Muslims in city
Hyderabad: While getting space for living is beyond the common man's reach in Hyderabad, it has become costlier for the dead. With open spaces shrinking due to new construction projects, land grabbers are laying their hands on graveyards, which is adversely impacting burials.
The last few years saw the rise of this trend as the real estate value has hit the roof in the city. According to some Wakf activists owing to illegal encroachments on graveyards, several Gazette Notified Muslim graveyards are declared chock-a-block and there is no space for more burials. 'Many Muslim graveyards are under the control of land grabbers where dead bodies are not allowed to be buried. People are facing a lot of difficulties in finding burial space,' said Nayeemullah Shareef of Waqf Properties Protection Cell. As a result, burials have become costly affairs. Kin of the deceased have to shell down anything from Rs 10,000 to Rs one lakh depending on the spiritual value attached to the graveyard. Things will become easier if a family member lies buried in a grave and the family agrees to bury the new victim in the same grave.
'Taking advantage of the situation, caretakers of the graveyards are selling old grave space for up to Rs 30, 000. The rates are higher in graveyards inside big dargah premises. I request the state government to conduct a survey of Muslim graveyards in the city and remove all illegal encroachments. Graveyard caretakers must be asked to fix nominal charges for burial spaces, while those charging exorbitant amounts must face criminal charges,' demanded another activist, Mohd Habeebuddin.
Habeeb pointed out that graveyards were vanishing in upmarket areas like Puppalguda due to rapid urbanisation. As per the Gazette published in 1984, the area is more than nine acres. 'This graveyard has now shrunk to 100 sq yards. This is the scale of encroachment with active political backing,' alleged Habeeb.
In the past Wakf Board was accused of collusion with land grabbers.
The graveyard committee of Dargah Syed Ali Kulle Shah Darvesh at Petbasheerabad under Quthbullapur alleged that whatever remained of the graveyard fell into the hands of the land sharks, with the active connivance of a Wakf inspector and its CEO in 2020.
The committee had alleged that the Wakf Board had not only failed to protect its interests, but its officials were in nexus with the builder, who approached the High Court claiming the land parcel meant for graveyard at Survey No.39 of Petbasheerabad.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
After MP's ‘demand', Pune's Sarasbaug Garden closed by civic body
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Sunday kept the famous Sarasbaug garden in the heart of the city closed for the day, allegedly on the demand of BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni, who cited that Bakri Eid celebrations in the garden would disturb the sanctity of a historical temple in the centre of garden. The PMC administration had closed the gate of Sarasbaug garden with a board on display saying the garden was closed for the day and eating food was not allowed here. The civic administration did not respond to calls seeking reasons for the garden's closure. In a communication to PMC on June 6, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kulkarni said, 'There is a Peshwa-era Ganesh temple in Sarasbaug and is a place of worship for lakhs of Hindu people. The garden is situated around the temple. It has been observed that people of Muslim community turn up in large numbers in Sarasbaug Garden and consume meat by violating garden rules. This hurts sentiments of Hindu community.' Various Hindu organisations have become aggressive towards the consumption of meat in the garden, she said, adding that they too had decided to hold a social event at Sarasbaug on June 8. 'There is a possibility of communal tension between the two communities if they come face to face. There seem to be truth in complaint by Hindu organisations as many people of the Muslim community come together and consume meat, which is spoiling the sanctity of temple. This can't be tolerated,' said Kulkarni. The BJP MP said, 'The PMC should keep the garden closed on Sunday and only allow temple visitors through the gate. This should be done to avoid any untoward incident that would disturb the peace. However, the temple should be kept open for the Hindu community.' Activist Anwar Sheikh has sought an explanation from the PMC on the exact reason why Sarasbaug Garden was closed. 'The decision to close Sarasbaug on the demand of an MP has violated the rights of the Muslim community. The PMC's decision to close the garden on the occasion of Bakri Eid is against the fundamental right of people of the Muslim community. If the people of the muslim community are paying tax to the PMC, then they have the right to use public spaces like gardens and parks. Keeping them out due to the demand of an MP goes against the values of democracy,' he said. He said that Muslims take their families to the garden the day after Eid to celebrate, but this year, Sarasbaug Garden was kept closed without giving any reason. Sheikh has urged the PMC to not take such decisions in future to avoid hurting feelings of any religious community, protect the rights of Muslims and not to fall prey to the pressure of elected representatives. 'The incident is sending a message that it was done to target only people of one community,' he said.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Trump's new travel ban takes effect amid escalating tension over immigration enforcement
President Donald Trump's new ban on travel to the US by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries took effect Monday amid rising tension over the president's escalating campaign of immigration enforcement. The new proclamation, which Trump signed on Wednesday, applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the US and don't hold a valid visa. The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, according to guidance issued Friday to all US diplomatic missions. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected starting Monday. Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the US even after the ban takes effect. Haitian-American Elvanise Louis-Juste, who was at the airport Sunday in Newark, New Jersey, awaiting a flight to her home state of Florida, said many Haitians wanting to come to the US are simply seeking to escape violence and unrest in their country.'I have family in Haiti, so it's pretty upsetting to see and hear,' Louis-Juste, 23, said of the travel ban. 'I don't think it's a good thing. I think it's very upsetting.' Many immigration experts say the new ban is designed to beat any court challenge by focusing on the visa application process and appears more carefully crafted than a hastily written executive order during Trump's first term that denied entry to citizens of mainly Muslim countries. In a video posted Wednesday on social media, Trump said nationals of countries included in the ban pose 'terrorism-related' and 'public-safety' risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. He also said some of these countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their citizens. His findings rely extensively on an annual Homeland Security report about tourists, businesspeople and students who overstay US visas and arrive by air or sea, singling out countries with high percentages of nationals who remain after their visas expired. Trump also tied the new ban to a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. US officials say the man charged in the attack overstayed a tourist visa. He is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump's restricted list. The ban was quickly denounced by groups that provide aid and resettlement help to refugees.'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, a nonprofit international relief organization. Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro's government was among those that condemned the travel ban, characterizing it in a statement as a 'stigmatization and criminalization campaign' against Venezuelans.
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
U.S. President Donald Trump's new travel ban takes effect amid escalating tension over immigration enforcement
President Donald Trump's new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries took effect on Monday (June 9, 2025). The new proclamation, which Mr. Trump signed on Wednesday, also imposes new travel restrictions on people from seven additional countries who are outside the U.S. and don't have a valid visa. The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, which include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The new visa restrictions apply to people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. The new proclamation applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and don't hold a valid visa. The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, according to guidance issued Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected starting Monday. Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the U.S. even after the ban takes effect. Haitian-American Elvanise Louis-Juste, who was at the airport Sunday in Newark, New Jersey, awaiting a flight to her home state of Florida, said many Haitians wanting to come to the U.S. are simply seeking to escape violence and unrest in their country. 'I have family in Haiti, so it's pretty upsetting to see and hear,' Louis-Juste, 23, said of the travel ban. 'I don't think it's a good thing. I think it's very upsetting.' Many immigration experts say the new ban is designed to beat any court challenge by focusing on the visa application process and appears more carefully crafted than a hastily written executive order during Trump's first term that denied entry to citizens of mainly Muslim countries. In a video posted Wednesday on social media, Trump said nationals of countries included in the ban pose 'terrorism-related' and 'public-safety' risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. He also said some of these countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their citizens. His findings rely extensively on an annual Homeland Security report about tourists, businesspeople and students who overstay U.S. visas and arrive by air or sea, singling out countries with high percentages of nationals who remain after their visas expired. Trump also tied the new ban to a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The man charged in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump's restricted list. U.S. officials say he overstayed a tourist visa. The ban was quickly denounced by groups that provide aid and resettlement help to refugees. 'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, a nonprofit international relief organization. Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro's government condemned the travel ban, characterizing it in a statement as a 'stigmatization and criminalization campaign' against Venezuelans.
