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Another 'Babri' in the making
Picture: Qutb Minar with the remains of the
Quwwatul Islam Mosque
The
Delhi Police foiled yet another attempt of members of the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP) and other extremist organizations to conduct a yagna at the
Quwwatul Islam Masjid in the Qutub Complex in New Delhi on 13 March.
The Qutub Complex was totally cordoned off and about 200 Delhi Police
personnel and CISF jawans were deployed to prevent the hooligans from
entering the complex which is managed by the Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI). Around forty-five VHP members were arrested while trying to
break the police cordon near the Qutub complex. They included several
senior VHP leaders of the Delhi unit.
The VHP is trying for several months now to perform yagna in the complex
and is constantly trying to provoke people in order to give it an Ayodhya
type turn. An ASI official said that ‘every Ganesh Chaturthi there are
threats to review the worshipping of the idol. But the ASI maintains
status-quo from the time the monument was notified as protected one.
When the police refused to allow the VHP to perform Ganesh Chaturthi in
the complex they announced to try and perform the yagna every month till
they are able to offer prayers before the Ganesha idol and install an idol
in the complex. It has now become a monthly ritual and they gather every
month outside the complex in order to try to install an idol inside.
People of the area irrespective of their religious affiliations have come
out openly against the VHP and Bajrang Dal move to concoct an issue. They
have not only opposed the installation of the Ganesha idol inside the
complex but also forced the officials to open the Mughal-period mosque
adjacent to the complex for the devotees. This mosque is different from
the Quwwatul Islam Mosque which is targetted by the extremists. Quwwatul
Islam is the first mosque in North India and was built by Sultan Qutbuddin
Aibak in 1192 and was completed in 1196. It is more famous for the Qutb
Minar which is the one of the two minars of the original mosque; the
second minar, started by Sultan Alauddin Khilji (d.1316 CE) was left
incomplete due to his early death and still lies half-built in the
complex.
The historical mosque of Mughal period in the Qutub complex was locked
last month following the threats of the VHP to offer the yagna at the
complex. The authorities refused to open the mosque even when the
hooligans did not turn up for yagna. The police initially tried to scoff
off the accusation as mere rumour and said that the mosque was not locked.
When the security was removed in the evening and the imam of the mosque,
Maulana Sher Muhammad tried to enter the mosque he was amazed to see the
gate of the mosque locked. When he contacted the SHO of the area, the Imam
was told that the police does not know anything and that they had no role
in the closure of the mosque. When he contacted the private security
personnel deployed at the complex he was told that they had orders to
lock. The private security personnel added that as Hindus are not allowed
to offer puja there, Muslims will not be allowed to offer their prayers
either.
When the imam tried to force his way into the mosque he was not allowed to
enter. The imam says that the mosque was never controversial and no one in
its several hundred years-long history had tried to deny Muslims the right
to offer prayers there. Though this mosque is under the ASI, it has an
imam who is appointed by the Waqf Board.
On knowing of the closure people of the area themselves acted and came to
the mosque in large numbers. Priests of several temples including the
Swami of Chatarpur Mandir and Swami Mahindernath came to ask the
authorities to open the mosque for Muslims. They all accused the
authorities of creating unwarranted problems. They also said that it was a
step by the authorities to create communal tension in the area. They also
threatened to remain on dharna till the mosque was opened. When the
authorities saw people of all the faiths demanding to open the mosque,
they were forced to oblige.
However, the attempt to perform yagna at the complex is a monthly ritual
now and it is being seen as the beginning of another Babri-like
controversy if it is not stopped completely. q
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