Minorities commission moves court over ‘disgraceful’ treatment by Telangana

Hyderabad, Jan 23 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh Minorities Commission has moved the court over what it called disgraceful treatment meted out by the Telangana government.

The commission, which is serving both the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, filed a case in Hyderabad High Court seeking directions to Telangana government to ensure its functioning as usual.

The case is likely to come up for hearing on January 25.

Minorities Commission chairman Abid Rasool Khan on Monday said the office of the commission was shifted from Raghava Sadan, where it has has been working for past three years, to a two bedroom house.

He told reporters that a notice was served to the commission two days ago asking to vacate the premises and very next day it was shifted.

"It is the institution listed under 10th schedule of the AP Reorganisation Act 2013 and needed to be bifurcated as per the Act. Moreover, the commission has been established by virtue of a parliamentary act of 1979. It cannot be shut or closed like this", he said.

Khan, a leader of Congress party, said that he does not have any intention to continue as the chairman of the commission but the government cannot kill such an institution in such a disgusting manner.

He said his tenure came to an end in June 2016 but his letter to the Centre and state government to clarify on his continuation as the chairman evoked no reply. His monthly remuneration was also stopped from June.

Khan believes that a recent letter by the commission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking investigation into the irregularities of waqf properties may have provoked government to resort to such a move.