Late-night demolition drive carried out in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh; AIMIM questions move

New Delhi: A late-night demolition drive was carried out by civic authorities on Max Hospital Road in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh as part of an anti-encroachment and road-widening exercise.

Portions of the Madina Mosque and adjoining structures were demolished amid a heavy security deployment.

Local authorities deployed bulldozers late at night to remove portions of the Madina Mosque and adjacent structures. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed at the site, and security forces were also stationed on the surrounding streets.

Municipal officials, along with several bulldozers and dumpers, were present at the spot during the operation. Residents said the arrangements were made to carry out the demolition action against the approximately 30-year-old Madina Masjid located in Shalimar village.

According to the administration, the structures being removed were illegal encroachments occupying public land. Officials said the demolition drive was part of an official road-widening project aimed at removing structural bottlenecks and easing traffic congestion along the stretch.

The late-night operation, however, triggered a row after opposition leaders and local community representatives reached the spot to protest against the action. Representatives of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) also arrived at the site and questioned the manner in which the demolition was carried out.

Speaking to IANS, AIMIM State President Shoaib Jamai said, “We received a message from Barrister Owaisi Sahab late at night around 11:30 p.m. stating that such an incident had occurred… I immediately sent our local team to assess the situation, only to find that in Shalimar Village, where there was an ongoing court matter regarding a mosque, bulldozers were brought in under the cover of late-night darkness with all the lights shut off to carry out the operation.”

“According to the mosque’s Imam and locals, they weren’t even given time to retrieve the Holy Quran. This is the height of oppression, secretly carrying out such actions in the dark without the knowledge of Delhi or the nation… We are not trying to create any law and order situation,” he added.

“We are talking very respectfully with the local authorities and requesting them to let us talk to the locals; however, we are being denied… Can CM Rekha Gupta answer why an opposition leader is not allowed to meet the locals?” Jamai added.

Shalimar Bagh is the Assembly constituency represented by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

Madina Masjid President Movin Khan, speaking to IANS, said that the matter was still before the court and claimed that the mosque authorities had been seeking documents and had responded to notices issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

“The issue is still in the court… On the lawyer’s advice, a fresh application was filed requesting legible copies of the documents so a proper reply could be framed, but meanwhile, the MCD issued a first notice, then a second notice, and then a third notice stating that demolition would be carried out within 15 days,” Khan said.

He said the matter was subsequently taken to the Appellate Tribunal, where arguments were heard regarding the age and status of different portions of the structure.

“It was stated that one floor with an electricity meter was recognised while the remaining structure was deemed new construction; when we asked them to verify the age of the plaster on the walls and pointed out that we had constructed three floors back in 2001 and submitted those site plans to the court, the judge paid no attention to the maps or our arguments and ruled that the upper floors could be demolished,” he said.

“The judge had stated that the upper floors would be demolished but never stated when and how… Out of nowhere, they came yesterday and started the process,” he added.

Madina Masjid Imam Zarifur Rehman also questioned the basis on which the mosque was being classified as an illegal structure and alleged that similar arrangements existed for several other properties in the Shalimar area.

“This is being labelled illegal, but everyone across Shalimar holds a general power of attorney, and every house in the area stands on the same power-of-attorney basis; yet, only the mosque is singled out as illegal,” Rehman told IANS.

He said the mosque authorities had pursued the matter through legal channels and submitted their responses to the authorities before the demolition action was initiated.

“But despite all this, the MCD issued a notice the very next day giving a 15-day deadline to demolish the mosque or face municipal action,” he added.

IANS