Congress administration’s actions were exposed during a hearing in the high court; the Muslim petitioner challenges the move as a violation of religious rights and communal harmony symbol
NEW DELHI – In a shocking development that has raised serious concerns among India’s Muslim community, the Congress-led Telangana government under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has relocated an 800-year-old dargah from within the premises of the famous Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple in Vemulawada, Rajanna Sircilla district. The move, carried out quietly and presented as part of a temple redevelopment project, came to light during a hearing at the Telangana High Court, where the state admitted the dargah had already been shifted.
The dargah, dedicated to Hazrat Syed Tajuddin Khaja Bagh Sawar and believed to date back to the 12th century, has long stood as a powerful symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity and communal harmony in the region. Devotees from the Muslim community have visited it peacefully alongside the temple for generations, highlighting India’s shared cultural heritage.
Petitioner Mohammad Nazim, through his lawyer Zeeshan Adnan Mahmood, approached the high court challenging the district administration and temple management’s actions. These included alleged illegal fencing, barricading, and blocking access to the dargah. The plea argued that any relocation required approval under Section 51 of the Waqf Act, which vests such authority solely with the Telangana State Waqf Board, not the mutawalli (caretaker) or local officials.
During the hearing on Monday (2 March) before Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, Advocate General A Sudarshan Reddy informed the court that the dargah had already been moved to a new location. He stated, “Not only the Dargah Hazrat Syed Tajuddin Khaja Bagh Sawar, but also other Hindu religious structures, including the Kotilingala Anjaneya Swamy idol, were shifted to a larger and safer place as part of renovation work of the temple taken up by the government.”
The government justified the action as necessary for a broader redevelopment plan, reportedly funded with significant state resources to improve facilities for devotees at the temple.
Justice Reddy emphasised the court’s role in protecting religious sites and devotees’ rights. He noted that an interim order issued on 26 February, which barred any relocation, demolition, or alteration of the dargah, no longer applied since the shift had already taken place. However, the court directed the state to file a detailed counter-affidavit and set the next hearing for 16 March.
Zeeshan Adnan Mahmood told the court that neither the government’s lawyers nor the petitioner had prior knowledge of the relocation. He said, “The case is sensitive, so the court exercised caution. If this were private property, the court would have taken a stricter stand.”
Critics from the Muslim community have expressed deep dismay over the overnight shift, viewing it as an attempt to alter a historic site of interfaith harmony without adequate consultation or respect for Waqf laws. Some reports suggest objections were raised by the Waqf Board earlier, yet the action proceeded.
This incident has sparked wider debate on the protection of minority religious sites amid development projects. Muslim leaders and community members argue that such moves risk eroding trust and the spirit of coexistence that the dargah represented.
The high court has stressed adherence to existing orders and legal processes in the matter. No immediate relief was granted to restore the dargah to its original spot, but the case remains under close judicial watch.
Community voices have called for transparency and accountability, insisting that India’s secular fabric must safeguard all faiths equally. The outcome on 16 March will be closely followed by those concerned with religious rights and harmony in Telangana.
