By Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net
Hyderabad: Senior Muslim leader, veteran Parliamentarian and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi was bid a tearful adieu by lakhs of his supporters on Tuesday when he was laid to rest at the Dargah Agha Dawood in Hyderabad.
Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy with his cabinet colleagues
The Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy led his cabinet colleagues in paying respect to 76 year old Mr. Owaisi, who expired on Monday after prolonged illness. Dr. Reddy, who cut short his visit to Delhi and returned Hyderabad today to attend the funeral, described Mr. Owaisi’s death as a big loss to the state. “He was a very experienced politician and a man of masses who always fought for the welfare of the people”, he said.
Politicians cutting across the party lines converged at the Darussalam, the headquarters of MIM to bid farewell to the leader who had dominated the politics of Hyderabad for almost fifty years. The AICC general secretary Veerappa Moily laid the wreath on behalf of the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. He conveyed the condolence message to Asaduddin Owaisi, MIM’s MP from Hyderabad and the new president of MIM.
Mufti Khaleel Ahmad, the head of Jamia Nizamia led the Namaz-e-Janaza, attended by more than lakh of mourners. Later he was laid to rest with full state honors.
Body of Salahuddin Owaisi was brought from his residence to MIM headquarters in a massive procession of thousands of supporters who were raising slogans of “Allah-o-Akbar” (God is Great). Owaisi’s three sons Asaduddin Owaisi, MP, Akbaruddin Owaisi, MLA, and Burhanuddin Owaisi were among the pall bearers.
Funeral procession
Such was the surge of the people to have the last glimpse of “Salar” as Owaisi was popularly known that the police had a very tough time in holding them back. Many old timers and personal acquaintances of Owaisi broke down.
The United State Consul General in Hyderabad Cornelis M Keur and the Iranian Consul General were among the dignitaries who attended the funeral. Earlier in the day the state director general of police SSP Yadav and Hyderabad police commissioner B Prasad Rao laid wreath on the body at Owaisi’s residence and paid their respects.
United State Consul General in Hyderabad Cornelis M Keur
Speaker K R Suresh Reddy, state Congress president D Srinivas, the state Home Minister K Jana Reddy, the secretaries of CPIM and CPI BV Raghavulu and K Narayana, Nava Telangana Praja Party president T Devender Goud, senior leaders of Telugu Desam and Telangana Rashtra Samiti were among those who attended the funeral. Film star turned politician and Praja Rajyam party president Chiranjeevi visited Owaisi’s residence this morning and paid his respects.
Chiranjivi with Owaisi brothers
“Mr. Owaisi was a powerful and a strong leader who strived to protect the culture and identity of Hyderabad and to solve the problems of Muslim minority. It is very difficult to find another leaders like him”, Chiranjeevi said. However the leaders of the state BJP were conspicuous by their absence.
Delegations of various Muslim organizations including Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiatul Ulema, Jamiatul Mashaiq also attended the funeral.
The state government had declared a holiday to the educational institutions and the government offices today as a mark of respect to Owaisi.
Salahuddin Owaisi’s political career spanning over half a century was extraordinary in the sense that he had started his career as a member of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation in 1958 and went on to become the member of Parliament. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Hyderabad for five straight terms. He also served as MLA for 23 years representing different constituencies of the city.