DDA razes ‘illegal’ masjid,Jangpura erupts
Street protests,stonepelting and police lathicharge,following the demolition of a masjid which the Delhi Development Authority said was illegal,turned Jangpura Block B and Nizamuddin into a battleground on Wednesday.
Protesters teargassed,lathicharged; at least 15 injured; many vehicles damaged; cops say will take legal action
Street protests,stonepelting and police lathicharge,following the demolition of a masjid which the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said was illegal,turned Jangpura Block B and Nizamuddin into a battleground on Wednesday.
At least 15 persons were injured when police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the protesters. Thirty others were said to have sustained minor injuries.
According to police,the demolition drive was undertaken to remove encroachment from a 6,065 sq yard DDA plot. The demolition was completed in three hours. A crowd gathered there after that and started pelting stones on police personnel. At least 17 private vehicles were damaged.
Police fired 11 tear gas shells to scatter the protesters. Five policemen were injured in the melee.
An eyewitness,however,said the situation turned ugly when the crowd went to the Hazrat Nizamuddin police station to offer namaz there,in protest against not being allowed entry into the mosque.
Sources said a crowd,led by Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah,gathered at the site,demanding that they be allowed to perform the Zuhr namaz inside the masjid premises.
The police were said to have videographed the incident.
“We will take legal action against the stonepelters for damaging the cars,” said O P Mishra,Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast).
Late Wednesday night,the Delhi government decided to approach the court for directions to allow prayers at the site till the matter is resolved.
According to residents,the demolition of the Noor Masjid began at 6 am. The crowd gathered by 9 am. Eyewitnesses said the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid,Syed Ahmad Bukhari,reached the spot by 11.30 am.
“The Imam said that we would perform the Zuhr namaz in front of the (Hazrat Nizamuddin police) thana. Later,(Tarvinder Singh) Marwah said he had spoken to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and she had allowed us to pray where the masjid stood,” said Naimuddin,a resident of Nizamuddin Basti.
“As we approached the masjid,we were surrounded by the police and they beat us up,” he said.
Locals and Muslim leaders insist that the masjid stood on Wakf land. “The structure was on Wakf property and has been there for more than 200 years,” said Shoaib Iqbal of the Lok Janshakti Party,MLA from Matia Mahal.
Last year,the Jangpura RWA filed a writ petition in the High Court,stating that the masjid was constructed on public land. The Delhi government’s religious committee inspected the structure and said it had come up illegally on DDA land.
“We tried to carry out the demolition exercise in December last year,but could not do so due to non-availability of police personnel,” said DDA spokesperson Neemodhar.
Later,the RWA again filed a contempt petition in the High Court which directed the DDA to carry out the demolition.
Tension prevailed in the area till late in the evening with tyres being burnt at the junction around Subz Burj,preventing vehicles from coming into the area. Imam Bukhari spoke to the crowd and tried to lead them away from the spot.
While other leaders left soon after,Marwah returned 45 minutes later with his supporters. “We will sit here,we will brave bullets till we get the masjid back. I will stay with you,” he told the agitated crowd.
The Asr and Maghrib namaz,too,were offered near the police station.
Share
