A local Hindu organization in the city of Satara, which was once the seat of the Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, has raised objection over a Masjid that has been illegally built on government land. The members of the Hindu organization have demanded the removal of the illegal structure and have vowed to build a huge Hanuman Mandir on the spot if their demands are not fulfilled.
The incident is said to have happened in the Phaltan village of Satara district, Maharashtra. The Masjid in question was allegedly illegally built in the year 2013 and the premises of the already built illegal structure were further illegally expanded in the year 2021, during the lockdown. Some of the Muslim members in the area have also recently put up a board of ‘Dargah and Masjid Trust’ there, which according to the protesting Hindu members is not in existence.
Considering the fact, the Hindu organizations have demanded an investigation into the matter and also removal of the illegal structure from the government land in Phaltan.
Bombay HC in 2013 had ordered to take action against the Masjid
As per the information obtained by OpIndia, the saga began in the year 2012, when the Masjid in question was built by a few local Muslims residing in the Malthan part of the village. Later a PIL was filed by one of the Hindu activists named Mangesh Khandare who stated that the Masjid was illegally built on government land. Khandare in the PIL published the relevant evidence and sought the removal of the illegally built structure.
The petitioner also prayed to direct the respondents to investigate the antecedent of the owners and developers of the said structure and to take appropriate legal action against them. The Bombay High Court took cognizance of the PIL in the year 2013 and ordered the relevant authorities to take action against the Masjid within 10 weeks and communicate the same to the petitioner. But no action was taken back then. No action has been taken to date.
One Muslim woman claimed ownership of land, case was dismissed by Court
The matter became more intriguing after the Bombay High Court’s decision, as a Muslim woman from the village, identified as Mumtaj Mujavar claimed that she was the owner of the said government land. She filed a legal case to claim the ownership of the land and stated that the property belonged to her paternal aunt named Ashabi Kom Hussain Mujavar (now deceased). Mumtaj further claimed that Ashabi was unmarried and hence, she (Mumtaj) was her only heir. According to Mumtaj, the Indian government illegally grabbed the land after the partition of India in the year 1947. “We came to know about the illegal grabbing only in 2012. The land belongs to my aunt and now it should be transferred in our name,” Mumtaj pleaded.
To this, the Satara court asked the woman to give the names and current addresses of the Ashabi and also asked to publish a notice in the local newspaper. Mumtaj then failed to submit the requirements and also did not face the court for the next year. The court was then about to dismiss the application during its last hearing in December 2012, but in the interest of justice has decided to give one more opportunity to the applicant (Mumtaj). However, the matter was finally dismissed in the year 2019, a copy of which has been attached below.
One of the members of the Hindu organizations, Akshay Taware while talking to OpIndia said that the Court had almost dismissed the claim in 2018 and that the ownership claims put forth by the woman are baseless. “The Ashabi she’s talking about went to Pakistan during the 1947 partition and then the property was declared as government property. Now it is government land and an illegal Masjid has been built on it. The Bombay High Court in 2013 had asked the authorities to take action against the illegal structure but to date no action has been taken. The Court has also dismissed the woman’s claim, still, the government authorities are taking no action,” he said.
Muslim population increased after Masjid was built and illegally expanded
Akshay, who is also a resident of the Malthan area, stated that there was no Masjid before 2012 and that a few Muslim persons used to gather at their private properties (homes) to offer Namaz. After the construction of the Masjid, the Muslim population in the area increased significantly.
“Before 2012, around 4-5 Muslim families used to gather at one of their homes and used to offer Namaz. Later someone spotted the vacant government property and put up a small shed there. Slowly a proper Masjid was built there and now people illegally gather at the Masjid area and even host Iftaar parties. The Masjid was also expanded in the year 2021, during the lockdown and the difference can be clearly seen in the satellite images of the area,” Akshay said.
In the images that were obtained by OpIndia, it could be seen that the Masjid authorities have expanded the controversial property by installing a blue shed behind the Masjid. The same blue shed is not visible in the satellite image grabbed from before the year 2021.
Illegal ‘Dargah and Masjid Trust’ board put up, large crowd gatherings causing inconvenience for local Hindus
Kandhare and Taware further revealed to OpIndia that during Ramzan recently the Muslims had put up an illegal board which indicated that the Masjid belongs to the ‘Dargah and Masjid Trust’. “The trust that they are claiming is not in existence. The board they have put up is also illegal. Which trust is this, who looks after this, who has built the Masjid, and where did they arrange the money from to build it? there are many questions and nobody has answers to this,” Taware said.
He also said that the large crowds gathered in the Masjid surrounding cause inconvenience to local Hindus, especially women. Kandhare on April 18 visited the Satara Endowment Commissioner’s office to inquire about the claimed ‘Dargah and Masjid Trust’ and sought removal of the illegal trust board put up outside the Masjid in Malthan.
The authorities there happened to state that there is no registration of this kind of Trust as it belongs to some other religion. The data might be available online on the website of the Waqf Boards. “We are digging the data,” affirmed Taware.
’10 years, but still no action,’ Hindu organizations continue to seek action
Kandhare has to date written several letters to the government authorities including the Revenue Officer, Collector and the authorities at the Municipality, stating the fact that the Masjid is illegal and that it needs to be removed, but to no avail. The copies of all the letters have been obtained by OpIndia. “These authorities just acknowledge the letter and take no action. It has been 10 years and the illegal structure still stands there even after the Bombay High Court had directed action against the property. The Muslim population has also vastly grown in the area. This matter needs attention,” said Taware reiterating the Hindu organization’s vow that they will build a huge Hanuman Mandir on the same spot if the illegal Masjid is not taken down.
Similar illegal structures reported earlier
Earlier, a similar incident was reported from the city of Nashik, where a local Hindu group had objected to the presence of ‘Sayyed Shah Vali Baba Dargah’ in the premises of an 18th-century-old historical monument that once served as the administrative headquarters of the Peshwas, the Sarkarwada.
Rushikesh Dapse (Bapu), a social activist associated with a local Hindu organization, had claimed that the Dargah in the Sarkarwada, which was once home to Peshwas, is an ‘illegal encroachment’ and that it shall be removed as it represents the wrong history of the Peshwas.
Also, an illegal Mazar had surfaced at the Mahim coast area in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on March 23 employed bulldozers to demolish the illegal construction around the Mazar. This is after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray played a clip in his Gudi Padwa address and exposed that an ‘illegal dargah’ has come up off the Mahim coast in Mumbai. He demanded the removal of the illegal dargah and said that if it is not demolished immediately, then his party would construct a huge Ganpati temple at the same place.
Illegal structures had also been built inside the Pratapgarh Fort where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had killed Afzal Khan. The old grave has been over the years converted into a religious shrine by Islamic groups. Despite orders by the Bombay High Court, the Maharashtra government was hesitant to remove the illegal structures inside the important historical monument.
In November 2022, the Shinde government finally sent police and local administration to remove the illegal structures around the grave.
