By Dr. Syed Ahmed for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: Different civil society organizations in Manipur have raised objection to the allotment of land including an area where a mosque stands in Ukhrul district for the construction of District and Session Court.
Addressing a press-conference at Manipur Press Club here on February 10, office-bearers of All Manipur Muslim Organizations Co-ordinating Committee (AMMOCOC), All Manipur Muslim Students Organization (AMMSO) and United Manipur Muslim Women Development Organization (UMMWDO) demanded that the lone mosque at Ukhrul district should not affected by the proposed plan to construct the Court complex.
Speaking at the press conference, President of AMMOCOC, Mohd. Siraj Ahmed expressed that the District Commissioner of Ukhrul District issued an order on February 5 to dismantle the existing buildings at the western side of the old Ukhrul SDO office complex, which consisted of few Government quarters and the mosque, for the construction of District and Sessions Court. The care-takers of the mosque were not consulted before issuing the order, Ahmed added.
He further said the mosque is used by the Muslim officials and others stationed at the district head quarter.
Ahmed also stated that they are not against the developmental programmes taken up by the Government; however they are against encroachment or pulling down of religious structures in the name of development. He warned that the civil societies would be forced to take up strong agitation if the State Government fails to release an order to suppress the standing order.
Earlier, Pangal (Manipuri Muslims) Political Forum (PPF) had also strongly opposed the Government order to dismantle the mosque at Ukhrul. Speaking at a press conference held on February 8 at Manipur Press Club, Spokesperson of the Forum M.I. Khan had said that the mosque was constructed in 1995 after the Government allotted land, however the order which came recently to dismantle the mosque has disheartened the people. The people of the State would not welcome eviction and dismantling of religious places and structures in the name of development, he added.
The forum had demanded the State Government to stop the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Court complex scheduled for February 12 until the Government allots a place to construct the mosque.