Land belonging to Nizam’s ancestors could be acquired for Musi Riverfront Project
The Musi Riverfront Development Project could potentially affect land in Kismatpur endowed to the final resting place of one of the forefathers of the Asaf
The Musi Riverfront Development Project could potentially affect land in Kismatpur endowed to the final resting place of one of the forefathers of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. With the Ranga Reddy Collectorate issuing a declaration proposing the acquisition of over 22 acres in Dargah Qalich Khan village, named after the grandfather of Nizam-ul-Mulk, the first Asaf Jahi ruler, the Telangana State Waqf Board (TGWB) has begun looking into whether land belonging to the dargah could be affected. Officials of the Waqf Board told The Hindu that an Inspector-Auditor of Waqf had been instructed to conduct a spot inspection of the dargah.
The exercise was taken up to ascertain whether any portion of the Waqf property falls within the proposed acquisition. According to sources in the TGWB, the proposed acquisition is specifically for the Himayat Sagar Bund Improvement and Eco Project. The Board has been in communication with the district administration and has already forwarded a copy of the inspection report to the authorities, an official said. TGWB Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Asadullah, when pressed for details, said the dargah comprises more than six acres of Waqf land. The property includes the dargah, two masjids and three samaakhanas.
He added that the shrine is a gazette-notified Waqf institution. It is unclear, he said, as to who is the mutawalli (caretaker) of the dargah. “None of the the Nizam’s trusts have contacted us about this,” he clarified. “We acted as soon as we learnt about the proposed land acquisition in Kismatpur. We have already filed our claim. Due process will be followed,” Mr. Asadullah said, adding that the gazette notification was published sometime in the late 1980s. The dargah is the burial space of Qalich Khan, who was a part of the Mughal campaign that led to the siege of Golconda in 1687.
Historical accounts state that he was injured during the siege, and died while being treated for his wounds. His son, Ghaziuddin Khan Firoz Jung, went on to become one of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s senior commanders. Ghaziuddin’s son, Qamaruddin Khan, who was later conferred the title Chin Qilich Khan, founded the Asaf Jahi dynasty as Nizam-ul-Mulk, the first Nizam of Hyderabad.
The BriefWire