Delhi CM Calls For Peace After Violence Over Mosque Demolition

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jan 13 :  Delhi Chief Minister Sheila  has appealed for peace in South Delhi’s Nizamuddin after a mosque built on government land was demolished amidst violence by DDA on Wednesday.

Dikshit  reviewed the situation in Nizamuddin area on Wednesday night.

In a late night meeting, attended by several top officials, Dikshit said the officials should visit the spot and ensure that law and order situation does not go out of hand. All the efforts should be taken so that peace prevails, she told them.


The demolition was carried out by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in south-east Delhi’s Jangpura-B Block area at around 6 AM on the orders of Delhi High Court, amidst heavy police presence.

 

Six persons, including four policemen, were injured when police used batons to disperse a group of people who indulged in stone-pelting to protest the demolition of the mosque built on government land.

The protestors also blocked the busy Delhi-Mathura Road the whole day causing inconvenience to  commuters, including those headed to the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station.

In the afternoon, protestors marched towards the site of the demolished structure. Police lobbed teargas shells and used batons to disperse the protestors, who tried to reach the site and offer prayers.

 

 

"A large number of people gathered in front of the Hazrat Nizamuddin police station and marched towards the demolition spot. They were prevented from entering the spot. They broke the barricades and tried to reach there. We had to resort to hurling teargas shells and using some force," a senior police official said.

The protestors included Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah, who claimed that he was also among a few demonstrators who suffered injuries in the incident.

Later in the evening, the protestors who had assembled in front of Nizamuddin police station throughout the day indulged in stone-pelting forcing the police to again resort to using "mild force" to disperse them.

A senior police official said six persons, including four policemen, suffered minor injuries in the incident. Some vehicles were also damaged in the stone-pelting.


Earlier in the day, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid and LJP MLA Shoaib Iqbal had  addressed the protestors besides local MLA Marwah. Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat also visited the protestors. Bukhari said the mosque was built on Waqf land and not on DDA land.

According to DDA officials, the religious structure was built illegally on DDA land and was demolished after a committee approved it.

"A slum and this structure had come up in the DDA land. We had cleared the slums earlier but did not touch the structure as we needed a clearance from the committee looking into demolition of such structures. We also had been directed by the High Court to carry out the demolition," they said.

Protestors blocked Mathura Road at Nizamuddin crossing which led to huge traffic pile-up at Ashram Chowk as well as near Hotel Oberoi.

Passengers headed to Nizamuddin railway station were a harrowed lot as protestors and police did not allow any vehicle on the route.

"We didn’t want any fight with anyone but wanted to offer our prayers at the site," Wasif Khan, a resident of Nizamuddin, said.

Residents had to face movement restrictions due to police barricades placed in the area. Some protestors took out their anger on a photographer who was walking beside the protest march, hitting him and trying to snatch his camera.

The Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid Maulana Mufti Mukarram Ahmed condemned the demolition and  demanded that the mosque be rebuilt.

In the afternoon, protestors marched towards the site of the demolished structure. Police lobbed teargas shells and used batons to disperse the protestors, who tried to reach the site and offer prayers. Later in the evening, the protestors also indulged in stone-pelting.

Sources said the government may approach the court to allow people to offer prayers at the open space. PTI