By IANS,
New Delhi : A political outfit Thursday urged the Delhi High Court to dismiss legislator Shoaib Iqbal’s plea seeking restrictions on the demolition of a mosque constructed at an excavated site near the Jama Masjid.
Vice President of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) S.S. Sai Baba Om Jee said: “The contents (of Iqbal’s plea) are misconceived, distorted and twisted and the same are nothing but an attempt by intervener Iqbal to frustrate and delay the compliance of the July 30 order passed by the high court.”
The ABHM alleged that the legislator was trying to frustrate the compliance of the court’s July 30 order asking the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to remove the illegal construction at the site to probe whether the 17th century Akbarabadi mosque existed there or not.
Last week, Iqbal filed an application seeking a direction to the ASI that the construction at the site should not be demolished.
He also said that a committee of citizens be formed to assist the ASI in ascertaining if the the Mughal-era Akbarabadi mosque existed at the site.
The court July 30 stayed the construction of a new mosque at the excavated site near the proposed Jama Masjid metro station.
Some people from the area claimed that the Mughal-era mosque’s remains were found at Delhi Metro work project site near Subhash Park station and started construction of a new mosque structure but the court put a stop to it.
Police Aug 7 filed an application in the court seeking direction to Iqbal to remove the structure built by him.
According to the ASI, Subhash Park falls within the restricted zone of two protected heritage sites — Sunehri Masjid and Red Fort — and any construction in the area requires permission from the National Monuments Authority.
It also said that construction at the excavated site was illegal.