The Central Government and the State Government told the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday that several mosques and mazars illegally constructed in several public places in Uttar Pradesh have been demolished while notices have been issued to several others, reported Law Beat.
The govt was responding to a PIL filed by Jan Udghosh Sewa Sansthan and others in the Allahabad HC seeking the removal of a mosque and a mazar illegally constructed on encroached land including parks, railway stations, bus stands, flyovers, bridges etc.
The govt further told the HC bench that other parties who received such notices have filed impleadment applications in the current PIL.
Furthermore, the respondents—the Central and State governments—asked the court for more time to record the aforementioned developments. Accepting the same, the court adjourned the case and ruled that it be rescheduled for February 15, 2023.
Notably, the current PIL filed in the Allahabad Court by petitioner Jan Udghosh Sewa Sansthan asserted that unauthorised mosques, mazars, and dargahs are being built across the country in public places such as parks, railway stations, bus stops, flyovers, bridges, and so on, with the intent of capturing more and more land illegally.
Citing many illegally constructed mazars and mosques in Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Muzaffar Nagar, Meerut, Mathura, and Bareilly as examples, the petitioner claimed that these activities are being carried out in collusion with the local authority.
The plea further alleged that these illegally constructed places are also being used for illegal activities and spreading unnecessary superstition.
“From the narration of facts placed on record, it is also clear that such construction is being raised with the officers in charge of the administration as without their consent and connivance such type of construction at public places could not have been raised,” the plea read.
As a result, in addition to demanding serious punishment against individuals responsible for such illegal constructions, the petitioner asked the court to order the Centre and State governments to conduct a survey to identify all such unauthorised constructions and take measures to remove them.
In response to the plea, the Allahabad HC had in November last year sought a response from the Central and the State government.
Allahabad HC orders removal of illegal mosque, mazar from historic Chandrashekhar Azad Park in Prayagraj
Notably, in October 2021 also the Allahabad High Court had ordered the immediate removal of a mosque and a mazar illegally constructed inside the Chandrashekhar Azad Park at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. “We want the park free of all encroachments,” the Court said in its order while hearing a petition filed by petitioner Jitender Singh.
The petitioner stated that the existence of this park was under threat as some members of the Muslim community had illegally constructed artificial graves and were trying to convert a structure into a mosque. He added that the accused wanted to convert the park into a graveyard and mosque.
Railways issues notice to remove illegal Mazar, Mosque from Agra Cantonment Railway land
As part of the drive to remove illegal encroachments from Railway land, the Indian Railways had in April last year, issued notices to several religious structures built on the land owned by the Agra Cantonment railway board.
One such notice issued to the Imam of the Noori Masjid asked him to shift the Mosque to some other place and free the government land. The notice added that several temples, mosques and mazars have come up illegally on the Railways land, and all of them are being removed.
