Politics1 min read

Mosque inside Krishi Bhawan cannot be retained: Centre to Delhi HC

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The Land and Development Office submitted a status report to the Delhi High Court clarifying that a 1940 occupancy agreement never transferred ownership of the Krishi Bhawan site to the Qadeemi Masjid caretakers. In response, the mosque committee emphasized that the site was officially registered as Waqf property in 1970 and has served government staff since nearby ministries were constructed. While the petitioners acknowledge state ownership of the land and do not wish to stall the Central Vista project, they are seeking legal intervention to prevent the building's destruction.

Key points

  • The central government maintains absolute ownership of the underlying land and intends to…: The central government maintains absolute ownership of the underlying land and intends to remove the structure for redevelopment.
  • The petitioner committee registered the location as a Waqf property in 1970 to protect it…: The petitioner committee registered the location as a Waqf property in 1970 to protect its religious status.
  • The mosque caretakers have stated they do not intend to delay or halt the broader Central…: The mosque caretakers have stated they do not intend to delay or halt the broader Central Vista construction work.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

NEW DELHI: Centre on Tuesday said that it is planning to demolish a mosque on the premises of Krishi Bhawan, as the land is required for the redevelopment of Common Central Secretariat under the Central Vista project.In its status report, filed through the Land and Development Office, the Centre told the court that the property belongs to the government and the caretaking committee of Qadeemi Masjid was permitted to occupy it under an agreement executed in 1940.

The Centre maintained that the 1940 arrangement did not confer any ownership rights over the land.The government's response comes in reply to a petition filed by Qadeemi Masjid, Krishi Bhawan, through its caretaking committee, challenging the proposed action concerning the religious structure.The petition further states that the Delhi Waqf Board notified the property as Waqf property in 1970 and recorded its antiquity.The petitioners claimed that even after Krishi Bhavan, Shastri Bhavan and surrounding government offices were constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, the mosque continued to exist and was used by Muslim employees of the offices for offering prayers.The petitioners acknowledged that the…

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