Mosque demolition: DDA offers plot to society to build another

NEW DELHI: The Wakf Board on Monday told the Delhi High Court that the trust, running the alleged illegal mosque which was later razed, has been offered a piece of land by DDA to construct another place of worship.

The land developing agency has offered the 'Noor Charitable Society', which used to run the mosque, a piece of land, measuring 400 square meters, the counsel for the Delhi Wakf Board told a bench of Justice G S Sistani.

The court, which is hearing a contempt petition filed by the Jangpura Residents Welfare Association (JRWA) against DDA for not re-claiming its land after demolishing the mosque, has posted the matter for further hearing on August 4.

The Wakf Board said DDA has demanded Rs 91 lakh for the plot, which is on the higher side.

Earlier, DDA, which razed the mosque to protect itself from being prosecuted for contempt, said it was willing to offer an alternative plot for re-construction of the mosque for an amicable settlement of the dispute.

Justice Sistani had asked DDA to reclaim its land by constructing a boundary wall on the site where the illegal mosque was razed in pursuance of the Delhi High Court's order.

The court, however, had allowed 10 members of the community to offer 'namaz' for two months at the site till a solution was arrived at by the parties concerned.

"DDA will complete the construction of boundary wall (at the site where illegal mosque was demolished) and leave a gate of 2.5 feet to allow 10 persons of the community, whose names would be furnished to DDA and police, to offer 'namaz' for a period of two months...," Justice Sistani had said.

On January 12, DDA demolished the structure and later sought dropping of the contempt proceedings in the High Court after "an unqualified apology" for its failure to reclaim the land earlier.