New Delhi: The DDA, which recently razed an
illegal mosque on its land sparking protests, on Monday told the
Delhi High Court that it was willing to offer an alternative
plot for re-construction of the mosque for amicable settlement
of the dispute.
The Delhi Development Authority, facing contempt
proceedings for not razing the illegal structure, said it was
ready to give an alternative piece of land, measuring 400
square meters, to `Noor Charitable Society` which used to run
the mosque.
Justice GS Sistani asked the Society and the Delhi Wakf
Board to consider the offer of the land developing agency and
intimate the court about the outcome of their negotiation on
May 16, the next date of hearing.
Earlier, Justice Sistani had asked the DDA to reclaim its
land by constructing a boundary wall on the site where the
illegal mosque was razed in pursuance of a Delhi High Court
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.
The court`s direction had come while hearing a plea of RK
Saini, President of Jangpura Residents Welfare Association
(JRWA), seeking start of contempt proceedings against MLAs
Shoib Iqbal and Asif Mohd Khan, besides the Chief Minister and
Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid for allegedly instigating mobs to
trespass into the site after the demolition of the mosque.
The DDA, on January 12, demolished the structure and
later, had sought dropping of the contempt proceedings in the
High Court after "an unqualified apology" for its failure to
reclaim the land earlier.
However, later the locals trespassed and started offering
prayers after erecting a `shamiana` at the site which led to
the filing of a fresh contempt plea against the leaders.
PTI
