By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Several Muslim leaders have strongly condemned the demolition of Al-Noor Masjid by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in Jangpura area of South Delhi early morning on Wednesday, sparking widespread tension and clashes at some places in the national capital.
Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Maulana Ahmad Bukhari condemned the demolition of the mosque in the surrounding area of Nizamuddin Dargah and warned the Delhi government that if the matter is not solved before Thursday morning, he would lead Juma prayer at the same site where the Masjid stood.
Criticizing the Congress Party, Shahi Imam said that on one hand Congress leaders are accepting the fact that Muslims are denied justice and on other hand religious places of Muslims are not safe under its government.
Maulana Arshad Madani, President of a faction of Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, held both Delhi Government and Waqf Board responsible for the painful incident.
“Waqf Board failed to prove the fact before the court that the place of the masjid belongs to it though it possessed land record and document for the site” said Maulana Madani adding “The Delhi Government is also responsible for this because more than one year has passed but Chairman, members and Chief Executive Officer of the Waqf Board have not been elected. Thus no one is at the board to take such sensitive matter seriously.”
In his reaction Dr. Mufti Mohammad Mukarram, Shahi Imam of Masjid Fatehpuri, said that the demolition of a religious place that too in a secular government is a matter of concern.
He appealed to Prime Minister and Chief Minister to allow Muslims for offering prayers at the site and to rebuild the masjid at the same place and also to take tough action against officers involved in the demolition.
The president of All India Imam Organization Maulana Umair Ilyasi, said that it was a blunder done by DDA which should be corrected. “I have met Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on the matter, she assured that if the place belongs to Waqf Board, the Masjid will be rebuilt there and if it belongs to DDA then the government will buy it for the masjid.
Regretting over the incident Maulana Jalaluddin Umri, Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said that the Government is responsible for the demolition of the old and historical masjid.
Besides, many political and religious leaders have also condemned the incident and demanded reconstruction of the Masjid at the same site.
Meanwhile, Shahi Imam Maulana Ahmad Bukhari has give a call for one-day Delhi bandh on Friday to protest against the incident.