By Our Staff Reporter
Haridwar, 20 Sep: In a major action in Haridwar district, the district administration has demolished an illegally built mosque. Sources claimed that in view of a recent trend of large number of illegal mosques and madrasas being constructed in Haridwar, which is revered as a highly divine city by the Hindus, it has been decided to identify and demolish any such illegally constructed structures.
A large number of illegal mosques and madrasas have come up in Haridwar, most of which were constructed allegedly during Congress rule and some even recently when the Model Code of Conduct was in force for the assembly bypoll in Manglaur. It is reported by the district administration that an illegal mosque was also built in Jwalapur during the byelection time. This case has been referred to the State Waqf Board and is due to be heard tomorrow.
Meanwhile, an allegedly illegally constructed building stated to be a mosque was demolished in Laksar this morning. The local administration officials said that the administration team demolished the illegal construction being done in a mosque in Laksar tehsil.
Tehsildar, Laksar, Pratap Singh Chauhan said that illegal construction was being done on vacant public land adjacent to a previously built mosque. According to the information, the Hindu Jagran Manch had staged a protest recently regarding the “illegal” construction work going on in the mosque. The organisation had also lodged a formal complaint with the Sub-District Magistrate of Laksar in this regard. Following this, an administrative inquiry was ordered and the stated religious construction found to be illegal.
Tehsildar Pratap Singh Chauhan claimed that the district administration had recently asked the Intezamia Committee to stop illegal construction in the mosque, but the construction continued and, consequently, a notice was served on those constructing the mosque. They also failed to provide any documents to prove that the ongoing construction was legal and approved. As a result, the district administration accompanied by a heavy police force, forcibly stopped the ongoing construction work and also strictly instructed to refrain from doing any kind of construction work in future.
The district unit of Hindu Jagran claims that such illegal constructions are being carried across the district on a large scale. A few years ago, some people of the Muslim community had done illegal construction on railway land in Laksar and this was demolished on the orders of the High Court. However, despite the demolition, certain people of the community started illegal construction in several places in Laksar leading to a strong protest by the local Hindus forcing action by the local administration which demolished the illegal structure.
