By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: For several centuries Muslims ruled India from Delhi. The city, therefore, has scores of historic mosques, some very much alive as Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid where prayers offered unstopped, some others in dilapidated condition yet prayers held, yet others in good condition but under ASI control and so prayers are prohibited there.
One of the mosques in the last category is Jamali Kamali Masjid. Located in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, adjacent to the Qutub Minar complex in Mehrauli area of South Delhi, Jamali Kamali Masjid has been literally captured out of the claws of ASI by the villagers. For some months they have been offering prayers there behind an Imam deputed by the Delhi Wakf Board. But on a Friday two weeks ago ASI called in police and forcibly closed the door for namaz. ASI has been backed by the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram who defends prohibition of prayers in protected mosques.
Villagers say they established namaz in the mosque as its sanctity was not protected by ASI. Couples would bribe gatekeepr and sneaked in to use it for their private place for an hour or two. This enraged them and they decided to establish namaz.
ASI, on the other hand, takes refuge in law. The law governing ASI says any religious place under ASI control cannot be used for religious purposes. So their ban on namaz is justified, and has nothing to do with communal discrimination.
In protest, the villagers gather on the road and offer namaz on Friday for last two weeks. This past Friday this correspondent visited the area to know about the situation. As I was in the Archaeological Park and moving towards the Jamali Kamali Masjid I saw some CRPF jawans about 100 metres from the mosque. They did not allow me to go near the mosque. In fact they had gheraod the mosque and not letting in anyone near it. They did not even give details as to what they were protecting and why.
Another mosque in the news for some time is one located inside the Qutub Minar complex. Time to time authorities have been making their bid to close the mosque. As part of giving trouble, sometimes they charge fee for those who come to the mosque on Friday to offer prayers, as they charge normal visitors. Two Fridays ago, the authorities began charging entrance fee but after the intervention of Jama Masjid Imam Ahmed Bukhari they lifted the restriction.
Maulana Sher Muhammad, who leads prayers in this mosque, refutes the authorities’ statement that namaz has been started here recently. Sher Muhammad has been leading prayers here for last 33 years and is on the payroll of the Delhi Wakf Board. He also says that during this long period never ticket was made compulsory for people who come here to offer Friday prayers.
Meanwhile Syed Shahabuddin, ex-MP and former President of AIMMM, has pleaded with Home Minister and Culture Minister for flexible approach, without use of force in the light of the agreement between Government of India and Mushawarat on 1 March, 1984 on Protected Masjids.
The Agreement of 1 March, 1984 transmitted to the Home Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao says:
(i) In principle, there shall be freedom of Namaz in all protected mosques everywhere.
(ii) Casual prayer by Muslim tourists or visitors shall be permitted everywhere during working hours.
(iii) Congregational prayers, whether Id, Friday or daily, shall be permitted if there is local demand and there is no alternative, if the mosque is located in a Muslim area, provided it does not call for any amenities or facilities which will require any structural change which would affect the architectural or historical character of the mosque. Such requests as and when received shall be considered sympathetically.
Syed Shahabuddi has also suggested the Government to take a fresh look at the Act of 1958 and amend it to accommodate genuine needs of the local Muslim communities which feel deprived of their Masjids.