Mosque demolition leads to tension in Delhi

New Delhi , Jan 13: This is one touchy topic India will have to come to terms with and that's religion. We might put our civic duties and our obligations as responsible citizens in the back-burner, but no one broaches the subject of religion.

This is exactly what happened in Jangpura area when a riot broke out when the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) razed an "illegal" mosque. The Noor mosque was apparently built in an encroachment area of a DDA plot.

The Muslim protestors did not take the matter into their stride and what ensued later was mayhem. There was stone-pelting and damage to private vehicles by a huge mob that had gathered near the mosque.

The police had to resort to firing tear gas shells and five policemen sustained injuries in the melee. 13 others were injured in the clash. Things turned for the worse when the protestors marched to the Hazrat Nizamuddin police station to offer prayers since the mosque was out of bounds. The mob was led by Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah who insisted on offering prayers in the mosque.

Later, the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmad Bukhari took the matter further by leading the protestors to the police station and an eyewitness said that the Imam led the mob to offer namaz in front of the Hazrat Nizamuddin police station that was received by stiff protests from the police personnel.

The local leaders and others claim that the mosque stood on Wakf land. Shoaib Iqbal, MLA from the Lok Janshakti Party said, " The structure was on Wakf property and has been there for more than 200 years."

The land and the the religious structure was earlier inspected by the Religious Committee of the Delhi govt and had come to the conclusion that the mosque had indeed come up illegally.

Tension still persists in the area around Jangpura Block B and Nizamuddin.

OneIndia News