A 50-year-old mosque, Aqsa Masjid, whose case is pending in the Supreme Court, was arbitrarily demolished by the municipal corporation amidst heavy police presence, including three assistant commissioners of police, at Haryana’s Faridabad district, sparking public outcry among the local Muslim community.
The demolition took place on Monday, April 15. Situated in Badkhal village, the question of the mosque’s alleged encroachment was pending in the Supreme Court. Angry locals expressed strong resentment and accused the district administration of acting in haste.
“It is heartbreaking. There was no final decision by the Supreme Court. Why did they tear it down?” asks Mushtaq, a local resident, adding, “First they demolished a few small shops, then they came for our mosque. It was deliberate. We were not even given time.”
Explaining about the mosque’s decades old existent, Mushtaq said, “The mosque was built on a land donated by a former village sarpanch, five decades ago. It was constructed on 600 to 700 square yards of land, in a 40 by 80 square foot structure. For decades, it stood peacefully. The land dispute case is more than 25 years old. Only recently did the municipal corporation start calling it illegal.” He rejected the encroachment claims by the municipal authorities.
The authorities have a different tale to tell. “This was not a sudden decision. We acted in accordance with legal orders,” said a senior municipal corporation official. “The mosque was one among several illegal structures identified on public land,” the official said.
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