A petition by a Hindu individual seeks demolition of the mosque and madrasa alleging illegal construction; mosque committee rejects all claims
NEW DELHI — Even before the dust settles on the Turkman Gate mosque dispute, another Muslim religious place in the national capital has been pushed into a legal row. The Kalkaji Jama Masjid and Madrasa Millat-ul-Islam in South Delhi are now facing a petition in the Delhi High Court, filed by a Hindu individual.
The case has added to anxiety among local Muslims who say their places of worship are being targeted one after another under one pretext or the other.
The petition has been filed by Preet Singh Sirohi, who has alleged that nearly 1,000 square metres of the Kalkaji Jama Masjid has been built on a road and footpath. He has claimed that the structure stands on public land and should be declared illegal. He has also asked the court to order the demolition of the mosque and the madrasa.
The move has drawn sharp attention as it comes soon after a similar campaign around a mosque at Turkman Gate, where claims of illegal construction were raised and widely pushed by Hindu groups.
According to the petition, the land in Bahapur village was acquired in 1960 for public use and was later handed over to the Delhi Development Authority in 1963. The petitioner has claimed that the land on which the Jama Masjid and madrasa stand is part of this acquired area.
He has also said that complaints were sent to the DDA and the Public Works Department to clarify the land position, but no action followed. After that, he approached the high court.
Legal observers note that such petitions often focus only on Muslim religious sites, even in areas where many other structures stand on disputed land or have old records.
The mosque committee has strongly denied all charges. Shaukat Ali Mehdi, general secretary of the mosque committee, said the claims are baseless and driven by intent to disturb peace. “Some people are deliberately trying to create an atmosphere of tension by raising false issues,” Mehdi said. “The Jama Masjid and the madrasa are fully legal. There is no illegal construction here. These allegations are completely untrue.”
Local residents echoed this view and said the mosque has existed for decades without objection. A senior community member said, “If this land was illegal, why was no question raised for so many years? Only Muslim places are being objected to.”
Many Muslim groups see the Kalkaji case as part of a wider pattern. After the Turkman Gate matter, the sudden focus on another mosque has raised fears that legal routes are being used to harass Muslim institutions.
A community activist from South Delhi said, “This is not about law. This is about pressure. Today it is Turkman Gate, tomorrow it is Kalkaji. Indian Muslims feel cornered.”
The hearing in the Delhi High Court is expected to decide the next course of action. For now, the mosque committee says it has full faith in the law and will place all documents before the court.
As the case unfolds, the spotlight remains on how Muslim religious places are being repeatedly dragged into disputes, while the community waits for fair and equal treatment under the law.
