Bid to rename Daira Meer shrine

hyderabad: an effort by the officials of salar jung museum (sjm) to rename the famous shrine and graveyard of daira meer momin sahib in sultan shahi as daira nawab salar jung bahadur, sjm’s founder, was thwarted by the daira’s managing committee on thursday. the committee did not allow sjm director a k v s reddy and the members of salar jung family to conduct foundation-stone laying ceremony of the proposed daira salar jung bahadur.most of the participants were not allowed to enter the graveyard premises and the sjm officials were forced to conclude their function in less than half-an-hour. the committee also seized the banner and foundation stone from the sjm authorities. “just because salar jung is buried here, the sjm or his family has no rights to rename the place. they cannot even lay a single brick without our permission,� daira’s joint secretary syed hamed hussain jaferi said. he complained that the sjm authorities have kept the managing committee in dark about their plan to lay the foundation stone. however, the committee allowed the sjm to hold a brief function to express their view point. addressing a gathering of not more 20 people, the sjm director a k v s reddy said with salar jung-iii yousuf ali khan being a world-renowned personality, the museum authorities have planned to develop his grave and its surroundings. sjm board member nawab ahteram ali khan said he has been making efforts for the last five years to develop salar jung’s grave. but, they avoided making a direct statement on how they plan to develop the grave.