By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: There is a glimmer of hope for the reconstruction of an ancient Masjid in Kothri village on Bhopal-Indore road in Ashta tehsil of Sehore district, about 70 kms from the state capital Bhopal, which was razed to the ground in the night on January 29 last without proper notice to make adequate room for four-lane highway.
This was revealed by All India Muslim Personal Law Board,(AIMPLB), member Arif Masood, who is a Congress leader, when he told newsmen that Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan while expressing his concern over the demolition of the mosque has assured a delegation of Muslims to do the needful after getting the matter probed impartially. The chief minister reportedly said that his government’s continuous endeavour is to see that the religious emotions of any community are not played with.
It may be mentioned here that a delegation under the joint banner of AIMPLB and Jamiat-e-Ulema, Madhya Pradesh branch, called on the Chief Minister Chouhan to apprise him of the issue and submit a memorandum demanding reconstruction of the 200-year-old Masjid at the same spot.
Masood said as per the assurance of the chief minister the agitation for the re-construction of the mosque at the same spot has been kept in abeyance giving some time to him to do the needful.
“If Chouhan does not keeps his word then a state-wide movement would be launched to achieve the goal”, he warned.
The said Masjid has to be re-built at the same spot as per the Shariah rulings of the “Fatwa” which states that neither any compensation can be availed nor a newly-built Masjid at a different spot can be taken in lieu of the demolished Masjid, Masood pointed out to the chief minister. He asserted that after a Masjid is constructed it remains there forever and it cannot be shifted from that place.
Masood recalled that he had postponed the proposed protest rally of Muslims against the demolition of Masjid Kothri after Friday prayers on February 6 after the Bhopal district administration had cancelled permission to thwart the move of Muslims in order to avoid confrontation on the issue and with an earnest hope of an amicable situation.
He held Sehore district Collector, Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation and Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board guilty and responsible for the demolition of Kothri Masjid.
He regretted the role of Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board, which is entrusted with the task of protecting and maintaining Waqf properties, to be villain of the piece as its top officials allegedly connived in the demolition of the said Masjid for some underhand deal.
He demanded the resignation of the Waqf Board chairman Ghufran Azam and dissolution of the Board forthwith. He said that he failed to provide security to the waqf properties and hence, he should resign from the board on moral grounds.
“The way Ghufran Azam is handling the waqf issues shows he is not suitable for the job; the main task of the Waqf Board is to guard the properties whereas Azam for his personal benefits is out to change the meaning of the waqf and in the name of plot allotment playing with the sentiments of the community,” he charged. ([email protected])