In an embarrassing turn of events for the Congress government in Telangana, the Indian Army halted Muslim graveyard plans in Shaikpet. The CM Revanth Reddy-led government had through an order allocated 2500 square yards of land at “Ghairabad Masjid” Shaikpet for a burial ground. Turns out, the Congress government allegedly cheated Muslims as the land belonged to the Indian Army.
The state government’s move was seen as one motivated by electoral gains in the Jubilee Hill constituency wherein the local Muslims were demanding a graveyard for many years. Notably, Jubilee Hills is set to undergo byelections soon.
On Saturday (4th October), Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TEMRIS), chairman Faheem Qureshi and AIMIM Karwan MLA, Kauser Mohiuddin along with two local leaders arrived at the allocated land. This land was to be used for burial of Muslim dead bodies belonging to Borabanda, Yousufguda, Erragadda, Rahmathnagar, Shaikpet etc, all located within Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency. This poll-bound constituency has around 1.40 lakh Muslim population.
However, on Sunday (5th October), a team of Indian Army officials arrived at the spot and halted the plans of the Muslim political leaders. The Army officials informed the Muslim leaders that the land in question belongs to defence and no activity can be carried out on it without their permission until the issue is resolved.
Reports say that the Army is set to secure their land with fencing and prevent entry of civilians.
Congress cheated Muslims or planned controversy❓
— YSR (@ysathishreddy) October 6, 2025
? What the GO shows
The Telangana Waqf Board officially allotted 2,500 sq. yards for a Muslim graveyard at Shaikpet / Jubilee Hills area a long pending demand.
⚠️ What happened later
Within 2 hours, Military authorities… pic.twitter.com/A8lC0ZNZfo
Interestingly, this came after Mohammed Ali Shabbir, advisor to the Telangana government, and minority, SC, ST and BC welfare ministers Adluri Laxman and Ponnam Prabhakar, boasted on Sunday that Congress has ‘fulfilled’ its poll promise. During a press conference held to handover documents for one acre and five guntas of land near the Ghairbad Masjid in Shaikpet, Shabbir said that the land will be turned into a functional graveyard and that a local joint action committee would oversee the graveyard’s development and upkeep.
“This is not charity. This is a right. It was promised in our manifesto and we are now fulfilling it,” Ali said.
While Congress says that the move was not politically motivated, with the Army halting the plan, speculations are rife that Congress might have fooled Muslims with a false promise just before an important by-election.
