The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board has called the administration’s action illegal and decided to challenge it in the High Court despite the High Court’s stay order.
The mosque’s managers claim that the mosque is much older than this.
The Ghraib Nawaz Mosque, also known as the Tehsil Mosque, in the tehsil complex in Ramsnehi Ghat in Barabanki district, was demolished by bulldozers on Monday night after the district administration called it an “illegal construction”.
Situated in front of the SDM residence in the Ramasnehi Ghat tehsil complex, this mosque is registered as the property of the Waqf Board and the management of the mosque says that there has never been any dispute about it.
What did the administration say
However, Barabanki District Magistrate Adarsh Singh says that in this regard, notice was given to the people concerned on March 15 itself and the administration had taken it under their control.
According to his statement read on the Twitter handle of DM Barabanki, “Regarding the illegal premises constructed in the Tehsil Residential Complex, the concerned parties were given an opportunity to hear the ownership references by sending a notice on 15 March. Stay in the premises as soon as the notice is served. The people left the premises and fled. The possession of the Tehsil administration was taken over by the Tehsil administration team on March 18.
“A petition filed in this regard by the Lucknow bench of the Hon’ble High Court Allahabad on April 2, proves that the construction is illegal. On this basis, the suit was presented in the court of SDM Ramsanehi Ghat and then complied with its order Done on 17 May. “
The mosque management committee had filed a petition in the High Court against the notice given in March, which is still pending there.
Not only this, the Allahabad High Court, while hearing a petition on 24 April 2021, ordered not to take any action till 31 May in view of the Kovid epidemic on any religious construction on government properties.
What did the waqf board say
Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board Chairman Zafar Ahmed Farooqi says that demolishing the mosque is directly in violation of the High Court order and the board will soon challenge it in the High Court.
Speaking to the BBC, Zafar Ahmed Farooqui says, “Apart from the dogma of the local administration, there is no other reason for the demolition of the mosque. Because the mosque was right in front of the SDM’s residence and perhaps they did not like it because more Can’t seem to find any reason.
