New Delhi: Last month, a report got surfaced that a tomb located at Safdarjung Enclave was converted into a temple. A similar incident occurred in Khirki Village of South Delhi.
Some miscreants are making an attempt to convert this masjid into Maharana Pratap Fort. The inscription “Masjid” is being painted with white colour repeatedly.
The tragedy is that the administration does not have any details about this masjid. A security guard posted at this masjid in 2008 reported that a year ago, the word ‘masjid’ was removed from the board of the masjid. This was reported to police. On the next day, the name was again removed. Some people say that it is not a masjid but it is a fort constructed by Maharana Pratap.
Khirki Masjid hit the headlines when the local residents sought permission to offer prayers in it. An officer of Archeological Survey of India, Delhi told that it is a very sensitive issue and said that he has no information about it. It may perhaps be the case that incharge officer of ASI might not have informed the higher officials. It is alleged that the word masjid was mutilated by some miscreants.
It may be mentioned that Khirki Masjid is located near famous Saket Mall which is now surrounded by high rise buildings.
According to the records, Khirki Masjid was constructed by Malik Maqbool who was the Prime Minister during the reign of Sultan of Delhi, Feroz Shah Tughlaq. There is no inscription erected at the Masjid depicting its history. In the Gazetteer of India, 1915, it is entered as ‘Khirki Masjid’.
–Siasat News