Another Babri in making: Putting of idol in a ‘historical mosque’
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: A land of a historical mosque. A nearby temple with ongoing pooja activity. Dispute in court and on top of that politicians’ involvement. Well, it has all the elements which might turn it into another Babri Masjid case. And stage is set for a confrontation this Friday.
Shoaib Iqbal, MLA from Matia Mahal assembly constituency in Old Delhi will lead a “massive demonstration against putting of idols” in the premise of Masjid Paltanwali, a historical mosque situated in Daryaganj. After Friday prayer on December 24, the demonstration will start from Jama Masjid square and will conclude at Paltanwali Mosque, the actual bone of contention.
At present just the land is left of the historical Paltanwali Masjid which, at one point in time used to be a mosque with proper building, where, as its name suggests, army men used to perform prayers. But many decades back its structure collapsed.
the disputed land of Paltanwali Mosque is at the back of this temple
A big Hanuman Mandir has been built at exactly what would be the boundary of the mosque. The cemented structure of the temple is an expanded form of what used to be just few idols a decade back.
Dispute
Now the dispute is on two things. One on the fact whether the barren land used to be a mosque called Paltanwali. The temple management has challenged in court all the Waqf documents which suggest that the barren land used to be Paltanwali mosque. The matter is sub judice.
just the land is left of “Paltanwali Mosque”
Another and probably the bigger source of controversy is that as Shoaib Iqbal alleged, the temple management was willfully putting idols and framed pictures (see the picture) within the premise of the disputed site.
Because the old historical structure of the mosque, where prayers used to be performed around six decades back, collapsed long back because of which barren land doesn’t look like a mosque from any where. On top of that a huge Peepal tree exists there.
TwoCircles.net managed to get a close access to the disputed site and came across two idols present at the root of the Peepal tree. From the fresh flowers and other prayer material scattered on those idols it also appeared that day to day Pooja goes on in that area.
While talking to TwoCircles.net, the MLA suggested that “few years back there was no idol in the premise” of the disputed land.
“How come idols are being transported in the Masjid when the matter is still pending in the court,” asked Mr. Iqbal.
idols and fresh flowers at the disputed Paltanwali Mosque”
The Lok Janshakti Party MLA told TCN that he “complained about it to all the concerned authorities and I am organizing this demonstration when there was no action from the administration.”
But Mr. Iqbal didn’t respond when this correspondent asked him why a politician had to lead this demonstration and why not any civil society member and who will be responsible for any possible communal tension and destruction of lives and properties?
Temple view
To get the other side of the perspective TCN also talked to the management of the Hanuman temple, which out rightly rejected the claims of the MLA that idols were imported within the premise of the disputed land. According to chief of the temple management, “they were present since a long time.”
The chief of the temple management, who, though refused to comment further, accepted that two decades back just idols were there which were later expanded in the big cemented structure of Hanuman Temple.
The chief who “don’t want to help the attempts of the MLA to create a controversy over a sub-judice matter,” didn’t want to be named or photographed either.
Almost above eighty years of age, he said that the “Muslims and Hindus have been living in the area since ages which a ‘Jahile Mutlaq’ (completely ignorant) politician like Shoaib Iqbal wants to exploit for his own political interests.”
Its important to point out that the disputed land is in an area where both Muslims and Hindus live. In fact, only few yards away Mr. Shoaib Iqbal has his official quarter.
The mosque was functional around 60-70 years back. While trying to find out more about the history of the “Paltanwali Masjid” as few call it in Delhi-6, this correspondent met three people who were above eighty, who claimed to have performed prayers in the mosque during their childhood. On the other hand very few people below 45-50 years of age, had ever heard or knew about either the mosque or the location of the mosque.
The way things have unfolded, the situation is a perfect recipe for a communal disaster. This issue has all the potential to disturb the centuries old culture of peaceful co-existence of Hindus and Muslims in Delhi-6.