Shias want Rs 20 crore for repairing Ashoorkhanas

Hyderabad: The All India Shia Organisation has asked Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to release Rs 20 crore for repairing the 6,000 Ashoorkhanas in Telangana before Muharram.

The demand has been raised early as the organisation says that releasing the amount a week before does not help as often the funds are never utilised.

All India Shia organisation president Mir Hadi Ali said, “We are requesting the government to do it in advance so that structures whose roof has collapsed can be repaired. No one visits Ashoorkhanas except during Muharram. As they have to be cleaned, it would help if the government released funds. Mr Firasat Ali Baqri said, “Most Ashoorkhanas are under the Wakf Board. Even if we want to carry out repairs using donations, the law does not allow that.”

Mr F.S. Layaq Ali, president of the BJP minority morcha, said, “We want the government to call a meeting of collectors and ensure that all Ashoorkhanas are repaired. We want the government to release Rs 20 crore for this project.”

There are around 200 Ashoorkhanas in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.