Muslims demand its removal; SDM has ordered inquiry into ownership of land, said to be a waqf property
Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – A Shivling has been put up in Kanpur’s Ghatampur on a piece of land which belongs to a mosque and madrassa registered as a waqf property with the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Board of Waqfs.
According to a complaint filed with the District Magistrate and Survey Waqf Aayukt by the Masjid Committee member Junaid Ahmed, councilor Jitendra Singh Yadav brought construction materials, built a chabutra (platform) and put up a Shivling at the mosque’s land. The mischief was committed on the intervening night of August 30-31 when people were celebrating Janmashthami. The complaint with DM was filed on August 31.
“It is to be noted that councilor Jitendra has been making an attempt to encroach the above-mentioned land. This complainant is about these attempts of the encroachment with the municipal officers in Ghatampur and Kanpur DM. We also complained with them about the construction of the temple on the land,” said Ahmed in his complaint.
He sought action against the culprits and removal of the structure.
Talking to Clarion India about the incident, Abdul Quddus, Qazi of Kanpur city, said that the name of the mosque is Masjid-e-Arqam which has additional land in the surrounding area. Local people planned to construct a madrassa on that land.
Local Muslims who came to offer Fajr (dawn) prayer noticed the illegal construction and went to local police station to complain about it. The policemen reprimanded those who had done this and asked them to remove it immediately. However, the police later changed their stance and said that action will be taken after a probe about the land, said Abdul Quddus.
Abdul Quddus also said that he has checked all the documents related to the mosque land and found them authentic. He along with local people recently met with the ADG, Kanpur, who asked the SDM, Kanpur, to look into the matter. SDM has ordered an inquiry.
Abdul Quddus further said that such incidents are being deliberately created by communal forces in Kanpur. Mosques, madrassas and graveyards are being targeted.
“Several such incidents have occurred in recent times. We are doing our best to avoid any communal tension…but we are worried about it. They are eyeing Muslim properties with ill-intention,” said Abdul Quddus.
Clarion India contacted Inspector of Ghatampur police station Ram Avtar to know about the action taken against the culprits. He said the police cannot do anything in this regard. SDM and the revenue department are looking into the matter. A joint team of revenue department and municipality has been formed to probe as to whom the land belongs to.
