The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to permit offering of prayers during the month of Ramzan and on Id at the demolished Akhoondji mosque site in Mehrauli. The court posted an appeal by Muntazmia Committee Madarsa Behrul Ulum and Kabarstan for further hearing on May 7.
It also refused to grant any interim relief to the petitioner, noting that a single-judge Bench of the High Court had refused to grant the relief nearly a month ago. The petitioner had challenged the single-judge Bench’s order dismissing its plea seeking permission for devotees to access the mosque for Ramzan and Id prayers.
The Akhoondji mosque in Sanjay Van, believed to be over 600 years old, as well as the Behrul Uloom madrasa there were declared as illegal structures and demolished by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on January 30.
The counsel for the petitioner relied on the Babri Masjid and Gyanvapi cases to argue that courts have earlier respected religious beliefs and permitted offering of prayers pending legal disputes in relation to shrines. “If Id prayers are permitted for an hour, heavens will not fall... A message will go to the people of India, Muslims in particular, that courts are equally enthusiastic about protecting the rights of Muslims,” the counsel argued.
The single-judge Bench had then recorded that the land in question was now in the possession of the DDA and it has already passed an order for maintenance of status quo while dealing with the issue of legality of the demolition.
