By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: Advocate Abdur Rahim Qureshi, Assistant general secretary All India Muslim Personal Board, (AIMPLB), has termed the act of demolition of Kotri Masjid near Bhopal, the capital of central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, in January last as unlawful and unjust.
Addressing a Press conference here on Monday Adv. Qureshi asserted that on the lines of Babri Masjid demolition the AIMPLB, through its three members based in Bhopal namely Maulana Shams-ul-Afridi, Maulana Masih Alam and Arif Masood, the Congress leader, would be challenged in court of law and go to whatever extent it is legally possible.
Adv. Qureshi, who was in town to take stock of the situation following the demolition of Kotri Masjid, said it is not a matter of this Masjid alone but thousands of such other places of worship which are likely to be affected in the name of widening of roads and other development works.
Masjid being demolished for widening the road
Citing the Protection of Places of Worship Act 1991 he said there can be no change in nature of places of worship as enunciated in the Act. While undertaking the works of widening of roads the planning should be executed in such a manner so as to avoid places of worship be it mosques, temples or churches, he emphasized.
“Jo kutchh bhi hua Kotri Masjid ke ta’lluq se woh Qanoon ke khilaf hua”, Qureshi remarked. It is against law and a bad example has been set by the Bharatiya Janata party ruled Madhya Pradesh Government and its agency Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation, he opined.
Replying to questions Adv. Qureshi said no legal process was adopted to acquire the Kotri Masjid property before demolition. The concerned district collector did not serve notice of acquisition either to the Kotri Masjid Committee or to Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board as required by law. A mere intimation or notice about the intention to demolish the Masjid to widen road is not legally viable, he explained
He lamented that Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board, which is entrusted with the task of protecting and maintaining Waqf properties, acted irresponsibly and did not take necessary steps in time to save the said Masjid from demolition despite being informed by the Kotri Masjid Committee about the impending danger.
Hyderabad-based Adv. Qureshi, who is also president of All India Tameer-e-Millat, told a questioner that a delegation led by him called on Madhya Pradesh Governor Dr. Balram Jakhar on the issue of Kotri Masjid demolition wherein the Governor concurred with the AIMPLB view of the violation of rule of law in the said case. The Governor expressed his inability to give any direction to the government in the case but assured to use his good offices to resolve the case in whatever manner possible, Qureshi revealed.
The delegation to the Governor comprised of apart from Adv. Qureshi, Maulana Sulaiman Sikandar, member AIMPLB, Prof. Abdul Mateen Qadri of Tameer-e-Millat, (both from Hyderabad) and the three local members of AIMPLB.
It may be mentioned here that an ancient Masjid in Kotri village on Bhopal-Indore road in Ashta tehsil of Sehore district, about 70 kms from the state capital Bhopal, was razed to the ground in the night on January 29 last without proper notice to make adequate room for four-lane highway.
Meanwhile, Adv. Qureshi answering a query informed that judgment in title suit of Babri Masjid case is expected by June or July this year and reiterated that whatever verdict comes the AIMPLB would whole-heartedly accept it. He, however, appeared confident about the judgment going in favour of AIMPLB and informed that 12 eminent non-Muslims of which one is a Parsee have given evidence in favour of Babri Action Committee, a wing of AIMPLB.
Adv. Qureshi, however, accused Central Bureau of Investigation, (CBI), of adopting delaying tactics in the criminal case of the demolition of Babri Masjid to save some prominent political leader who were instrumental in razing the mosque. ([email protected])