The CM appealed to advocates to make efforts to expedite civil litigations as lands worth Rs 5 lakh crore were blocked due to such litigations in various courts of Telangana. (Photo: DC/File)

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday stopped his speech midway when he heard the azaan (call to prayer) from a masjid adjacent to the City Civil Courts, as a mark of respect. Mr Rao was the Chief Guest at the Sesquicentennial Celebrations (150 years) of the establishment of the City Courts.

While he was addressing the gathering, he heard a sound and asked a guest whether it was the azaan. When the reply was positive, the CM stopped his speech, besides asking those present to do so too.

After completion of the azaan, Mr Rao resumed his speech and explained the importance of the call to prayer. “Irrespective of their religion in Deccan, anyone who knows the relevance of azaan, will stop all activities till its completion as it hardly takes two to three minutes,” he said.

Mr Rao went on, “It is Deccani culture and a symbol for Ganga-Jamuna tahzeeb.”

Reminding that the Nizam was first ruler in the world who established an independent judiciary, Mr Rao said that he has always given high regards to orders passed by the Hyderabad High Court.

Mr Rao said that his hereditary land was acquired for the Upper Maneru Dam and Rs 1. 40 lakh awarded as compensation. He said his father had filed an appeal before the High Court and the court directed the authorities to pay Rs 70,000 more to his family. “The Nizam honoured the order,” Mr Rao said, maintaining that vested interests were projecting the Nizam in poor light.

The CM appealed to advocates to make efforts to expedite civil litigations as lands worth Rs 5 lakh crore were blocked due to such litigations in various courts of Telangana.

He said, “We can not only achieve Bangaru (Golden) Telangana but can also achieve Vajraala (Diamond) Telangana if these pending cases are resolved.”

Mr Rao said that new state is passing through a transitory period and every effort is being made for its reconstruction. He promised immediate release of Rs 100 crore towards the advocates welfare fund.

Appreciating the role of the advocates during the Telangana agitation, he said that the lawyers faced severe injustice in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, like allotment of lands to the advocates' housing society and health cards.