Mosque, Graveyard And A Court Order: Behind Delhi Demolition Clash

A violent clash erupted early this morning during an anti-encroachment drive near a mosque in Delhi. Locals threw stones at municipal officials and police teams during the demolition on a land adjoining the Syed Faiz Elahi mosque at Ramlila Maidan.

The demolition drive was being carried out following orders from the Delhi High Court. At least five police personnel were injured in the clash and stone-throwing by about 25-30 people. The police used tear gas to control the situation. Five accused have been detained so far.

Here's a sequence of how the encroachment issue led to the clash this morning.

High Court Order

Last November, the Delhi High Court asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Public Works Department to clear the encroachments on about 39,000 sq ft area at the Ramlila Ground near Turkman Gate. The authorities then issued an order to remove the encroachments, including a road, a footpath, a banquet hall, a parking area, and a private diagnostic centre.

Challenging the order, the mosque committee filed a petition, claiming that the land is a notified Waqf property. It is governed by the Waqf Act, and only the Waqf Tribunal has jurisdiction to decide such disputes, it argued.

The MCD, however, claimed that only 0.195 acres of land on which the mosque stands was leased in 1940, and that it does not cover the adjoining land on which the demolition drive is being undertaken.

The petitioner claimed that they have been paying lease rent to the Waqf Board to use the land. They claimed they have no objection to the removal of encroachments and stated that the banquet hall and the clinic have already been shut. Their only grievance is in respect to the graveyard operating on the land.

December Declaration

All structures beyond 0.195 acres of land (housing the mosque) will face demolition, the MCD declared last month in view of the November court order, stating that it received no documentary evidence to establish lawful possession of the land by the managing committee of the mosque or the Delhi Waqf Board.

On January 4, when MCD officials visited the site to mark the encroached area, locals staged protests. Police deployment was then increased to ensure that the officials could carry out the demolitions.

Meanwhile, the mosque committee's petition came up for hearing in the high court yesterday. The high court sought a response from the MCD, the Ministry of Urban Development, and the Delhi Waqf Board, to be filed within four weeks. It has been posted for further hearing on April 22.

The Clash

Early this morning, municipal officers and workers arrived at the site with 30 bulldozers and 50 dump trucks for the demolition drive. About 25-30 people started throwing stones at the police teams accompanying the officials, said a senior officer. The authorities managed to demolish a dispensary and a banquet hall, but five cops were injured in the clash. Action will be taken against those who were involved in stone pelting, the police said, assuring that the situation is under control.

A case has been filed based on the statements of the injured policemen and MCD workers.