AKAORI Board to file contempt plea in HC

Hyderabad:Followingthe alleged violation of a High Court order to maintain status quo over the Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute, the executive body has decided to file a contempt petition against Minority Welfare Department officials. The conflict intensified after the unlocking of the sealed Niaz Khana and its subsequent transfer to the Shahi Masjid on 27 January. This action followed a memo issued on 23 January and the sealing of the age old institute premises by the District Minorities Welfare Officer on 24 January.

Aziz Ahmed, an executive member, stated that the institute filed a case in the Telangana High Court immediately after the Republic Day holiday weekend. On 28 January, the court issued a detailed order noting that the institute has been a lawful tenant since 1969.

The court observed that statutory eviction procedures were ignored as no prior notice was given before the sealing. Consequently, the judiciary directed the department not to create any third party interest regarding the property. Despite this, Aziz Ahmed claimed the premises remain locked by the government while Minority Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin and TGMERIS vice chairman Faheem Qureshi entered the site in violation of the judicial directive.

The legal team, led by Mirza Nisar Baig, confirmed they will seek damages and request the court to constitute a commission to inventory invaluable books. The executive body chairman, Ashraf Rafi, lamented that rare manuscripts including historical copies of the Quran, Ramayana, and Gita dating back to the thirteenth century were mishandled during the eviction.

The current whereabouts of these irreplaceable items are unknown, raising serious concerns over the preservation of cultural heritage. The institute remains determined to pursue legal recourse to recover its premises and protect the significant collection of ancient documents that have been part of the Public Gardens landscape for decades. The board insists that officials must be held accountable for the blatant disregard of the law and the potential loss of historical treasures that belong to the heritage of the entire state.