Mosque at Markaz Nizamuddin can be reopened next month in keeping with Covid protocol: Centre to Delhi HC

Observing that the DDMA’s Covid guidelines will apply to Markaz Nizamuddin as well, the court in November 2021 had ordered a joint inspection of the religious place, where public entry was banned in the aftermath of Tablighi Jamaat members testing positive for coronavirus in 2020, by Delhi Police and the Delhi Waqf Board.

The Delhi Waqf Board, in an application, informed the court that a joint inspection report has been placed before it but the petition seeking easing of restrictions at Markaz Nizamuddin is listed for hearing on April 21. Seeking hearing of the matter before that date and removal of the locks, Senior Advocate Sanjoy Ghose, representing the Waqf Board, told the court that the month of Ramzan begins somewhere around April 2 and also Shab-e-Barat is in the month of March.

“The mosque commonly known as Masjid Bangle Wali, comprising four floors along with the place of ablution, would be required by worshippers in view of the importance of prayers during Shab-e-Barat as well as during the holy month of Ramzan,” said the Waqf Board in its application filed through advocate Wajeeh Shafiq.

The counsel representing the Centre and Delhi Police told the court that areas at the Markaz Nizamuddin have already been earmarked after the joint inspection and that the only question remains on how many people can be allowed to go and offer prayers. “That would be decided as per DDMA guidelines,” he said, adding, however, that entry be allowed only to the mosque at this stage.

Justifying the continuation of restrictions at Nizamuddin Markaz, the Centre in September last year in a reply had told the court that the cases registered against foreigners found putting up there have diplomatic implications and that the curbs on the premises do not violate the right to practice religion.

The Centre, in its reply, further said that the premises has been kept “under lock and key” in view of the fact that the markaz management is itself under investigation in the case registered last year by the Crime Branch. “A minimum number of persons are already allowed to offer prayers at Masjid Bangley Wali, which number has been, time and again, relaxed, as and when important religious festivals are celebrated,” it said.

The Delhi Waqf Board in the petition filed in February 2021 has submitted that Masjid Bangley Wali, Madarsa Kashif-ul-uloom, and the attached hostel situated at Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin are under lock since March 2020.

“The Delhi Waqf Board has learnt that the local police has prepared a list of only 5-6 persons from the locality who alone can enter the mosque for the purpose of prayers. The local police opens locks at the main entrance, allows them to enter at the time of prayers; after the prayers are over, those people come out and immediately thereafter the police lock the main entrance again,” according to the plea.