Hyderabad: Two persons from Maharashtra who allegedly raised ‘Jai Sree Ram’ slogans at Makkah Masjid were taken into custody by the Hussainialam police on Thursday. This is the first time that such an incident has taken place inside the mosque, which is one of the largest historic Muslim place of worship in the city.
According to the police, three individuals Amol, Vishal and Venkat had come to the Mecca Masjid in the afternoon on Thursday. After going inside, they raised “Jai Shree Ram” slogans, which today is a Hindutva war cry used in rallies, or during any anti-minority attack as well. Vishal is on the run.
On noticing it, the security personnel in the Makkah Masjid immediately took them into custody and alerted the Hussainialam police station. A police team took them into custody and is interrogating them.
The police are making efforts to identify and arrest the other person who escaped from the spot. Security at the Mecca Masjid was beefed up following the incident. Senior police officials also visited the mosque, which is located in the Charminar area and is a major tourist attraction as well.
The Makkah Masjid in Hyderabad is a 17th-century mosque from the Golconda period (1518-1687). Its construction was initiated by Sultan Mohd Qutb Shah, the fifth monarch of the Qutb Shahi (or Golconda) dynasty (which also founded and built Hyderabad in 1591).
Sultan Mohd Qutb Shah was the nephew of Hyderabad’s founder Mohd Quli Qutb Shah. The former decided to construct the mosque for those who could not travel to Mecca for pilgrimage. According to legend, he reportedly managed to bring a brick from the Kaaba, which was part of the Makkah Masjid’s foundation in 1616, when the construction began.
However, it is said that Hyderabad’s founding prime minister Mir Momin Astrabadi prophesied that whoever completes the mosque would be the last king. Hence, Sultan Mohd Qutb Shah apparently abandoned his plans, which the next two kings of the Golconda kingdom tried to complete but failed.
By 1687 however, the Mughal empire under Aurangzeb undertook its southern expansion, and Hyderabad (Golconda kingdom) was the last Deccan state to fall to the north Indian empire. Hyderabad was almost entirely destroyed in the final siege in 1687. It was after that under the Mughals that the Makkah Masjid (that was spared) was completed by around 1695.
UPDATE
According to the Hyderabad police, the two youngsters claimed that the ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogan was from their phone and they did not shout it. A security personnel claimed that the ringtone was mistaken for the slogan being raised. However, it may be noted that in a busy and loud area near Makkah Masjid, it is difficult for a mere ringtone to be as loud as someone rasing slogans.
A source from the police in the Old City however confirmed that a slogan was raised, which is why the boys were detained. Given that the incident transpired a day before Friday (when hundreds of muslims congregate for the afternoon prayers), the cops are alert in the area.
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