With Shab-e-Barat, Ramzan approaching, Waqf board urges Delhi HC to re-open Nizamuddin Markaz
India Today
The Waqf Board filed a plea with Delhi High Court to re-open the Nizamuddin Markaz as Shab-e-Barat and Ramzan are approaching in March and April.
The Delhi High Court Tuesday asked the police to file a status report on a plea by the Waqf Board to re-open the Nizamuddin Markaz, where the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held in March 2020 amid Covid-19 pandemic and has remained shut since then, as Shab-e-Barat and Ramzan are approaching in March and April.
Justice Mukta Gupta was informed by the central government counsel that a joint inspection of the markaz has already been conducted by the police and Delhi Waqf Board to ascertain its structural components and examine the issue of its re-opening. The court listed the matter for further hearing on March 4.
The Waqf Board said in its application that the next date of hearing in the matter was April 21, however, the festival of Shab-e-Barat is approaching in the middle of March and the holy month of Ramzan is also beginning from April 2, depending upon the lunar sighting.
“The mosque commonly known as Masjid Bangle Wali, comprising four floors along with place of ablution, would be required by the worshippers in view of the importance of the prayers during Shab-e-barat as well as during the holy month of Ramzan,” senior advocate Sanjoy Ghose, representing the Waqf Board, said.
The Waqf Board’s application, filed through advocate Waqeeh Shafiq, said that last year during these two occasions the high court had permitted prayers in the mosque part and parcel of the waqf property under reference.
It said the current strain of Covid, Omicron, was not as severe and fatal as the Delta variant and as the conditions have improved, physical hearings of all courts have resumed, schools, clubs, bars and markets have also reopened, therefore, there is no impediment to direct the reopening of this waqf property.
Central government counsel Rajat Nair submitted that as far as opening of the markaz is concerned, it will be done in terms of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) order and added that he would file a status report in this regard.
