Hyderabad: The Congress party demanded that the State Government construct a memorial in honour of the titular 8th Nizam Mir Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah Bahadur, who was laid to rest at historic Mecca Masjid on Wednesday.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President A. Revanth Reddy, former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Hyderabad DCC President Sameer Waliullah, TPCC Sr Vice-President Zafar Javeed and other senior leaders visited Chowmohalla Palace where the mortal remains of Mukarram Jah were kept for the public to pay their last respects. They also met the members of the Nizam family and conveyed their condolences.
Speaking to media persons on the occasion, Shabbir Ali said that the contribution of the Nizam family to Hyderabad could never be forgotten. He reminded that the 7th Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan was not only the richest man in the world, but the erstwhile Hyderabad State was among the largest economies globally during that period. It was due to the visionary leadership of 7th Nizam, who was also called the ‘Architect of Modern Hyderabad’, that the city had a huge infrastructure including railways, roads, an airport, electricity and drinking water. Many public institutions were established during his regime which includes Osmania University, Osmania General Hospital, State Bank of Hyderabad and the Hyderabad High Court.
Post-independence, he said that the Nizam family members, especially Mukkarram Jah maintained the legacy and continued to contribute to the development of Hyderabad. He said Mukkaram Jah had served the people by starting several charitable institutions. The Nizam family made a huge contribution to the education and health sectors in Hyderabad, he said.
Therefore, he demanded that the State Government should construct a memorial in honour of Mukkaram Jah which could remind people of the Nizam family’s contribution to Hyderabad.TPCC President Revanth Reddy dismissed the BJP’s criticism of the State Govt conducting the last rites of Mukarram Jah with State honours. He said BJP tries to see everything through a communal lens without giving any importance to the facts. Fortunately, he said people do not take BJP leaders seriously as they don’t follow their false propaganda. He said when the last rites of many anti-Telangana leaders, who passed away after 2014, could be performed with State honours, then what was wrong in giving State honours to Mukarram Jah’s funeral? (INN)