Centre’s takeover of 123 Delhi Waqf Board assets: Jama Masjid to be inspected today

On Mon., Land & Development Office, under Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, will inspect New Delhi Jama Masjid, located opposite Parliament House, as per Delhi High Court order. Notice stuck on mosque wall directs occupant to submit documents/maps to substantiate claims. Move follows decision to take over 123 properties of Delhi Waqf Board, incl. mosques, dargahs & graveyards. Imam of masjid invites mediapersons to visit premises during inspection. Advocate Masroor Siddiqui feels survey is first step towards relocation of mosques, incl. New Delhi Jama Masjid, Sunehri Bagh Masjid, Zabat Ganj mosque & Krishi Bhawan mosque. Centre had assured High Court that "nothing is happening" to these properties.

New Delhi Jama Masjid, located opposite Parliament House, will be inspected by the Land and Development Office, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, on Monday in accordance with a Delhi High Court order.

A notice stuck on the wall of the mosque on Friday evening directed “the occupant” of “the property” to “maintain preparedness” and “submit documents/maps to substantiate their claims” during the inspection.

The move comes following the Ministry’s decision to take over 123 properties of the Delhi Waqf Board, including mosques, dargahs and graveyards, based on the report of a two-member committee on denotified Waqf properties.  The Ministry had written a letter to the board’s chairman, Amanatullah Khan, informing him of the decision.

“This is part of the ongoing survey of 123 places of worship where the government claims the Waqf Board has lost the right of possession. This is a historic mosque. It dates back at least 350 years. In fact, the British had ordered its land survey back in 1880. We have enough documents... I do not see a threat to the mosque,” said Muhibullah Nadwi, the imam of the masjid, inviting mediapersons to visit the premises during the inspection.

“It is not a survey but an inspection. If it is a survey, then survey for what? The history of the mosque is well known. This is just hoodwinking the court order. The Waqf Board is negligent either by design or compulsion,” said Mahmood Pracha, who was actively involved in contesting the initial demolition of a section of Bengali Market Masjid-Madrasa recently. “They demolished a portion of Mamu-Bhanja dargah near Jhandewalan this morning around 3 a.m. Whatever the mosque’s imam might say, I feel the New Delhi Jama Masjid is vulnerable,” he said.

Incidentally, the New Delhi Jama Masjid has been used for prayers by former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former Vice-President Hamid Ansari, besides a horde of MPs during Parliament sessions. It is also favoured by foreign diplomats. The tomb of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed is also situated here. It was renovated in a big way in 2014 after a portion of the ceiling on the first floor had collapsed, leading to fears of the mosque caving in due to its advanced age.

However, advocate Masroor Siddiqui, who has been keeping a close watch on surveys ordered on places of worship accused of encroachment, doesn’t share Mr. Nadwi’s optimism. “It is interesting that the authorities are focusing only on mosques and dargahs. Before the demolition at Mamu-Bhanja dargah, there were similar sights at Tikona Park near Oberoi hotel, where the mosque was spared but dwellings of people in its vicinity were demolished. At Sunehri Bagh Masjid, too, there have been allegations of encroachment. I feel this survey is the first step towards relocation of these mosques,” he said.