Bhopal, January 30 (Pervez Bari): Adv. Haji Mohammad Haroon, president Jamiat-e-Ulama Hind, Madhya Pradesh unit, has submitted a memorandum to the state Governor Rameshwar Thakur urging him to use his good offices to prevail over the concerned authorities and agencies engaged in widening of roads to restrain them from demolishing Masjids that are coming in the way. The memorandum has also been sent to Government of India and chairman of the state Waqf Board.
Adv. Haroon, who is also president of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee’s Minority Department, in the memorandum said that there should be an immediate ban on demolishing Masjids in the state in the name of widening of roads. Alternative methods and means must be applied in the widening of roads or constructing new ones to keep alive the historical traditions of communal harmony. Then only restlessness in minorities, especially Muslims, can be done away with and confidence can be instilled in them.
He warned the Central Government, Madhya Pradesh Government, Indore District administration and the state Waqf Board on the proposed plan to demolish Bilal Masjid in Chhoti Khajrani locality of Indore for widening of a road. He said the Masjid is registered in the Waqf Board and is listed in the 1989 Gazette Notification. Before independence of the country “Namaz” is being offered in the Masjid regularly. Ignoring such facts if the demolition is carried out then it would be travesty of justice and Muslims can never reconcile to this act of high-handedness of the concerned authorities.
Adv. Haroon reminded that history is replete with the fact that for religious places roads have been constructed and there has been no tradition to demolish these for widening of roads. If anyone indulges in acts against these traditions then it is the democratic right of Muslims to register their protest over illegal actions, he added. (pervezbari@eth.net)