Eid prayers at the Akhoondji Mosque site are prohibited by the Delhi High Court. On Monday, the Delhi High Court denied requests to celebrate Eid and Ramadan prayers at the location of the destroyed “Akhoondji mosque” in Mehrauli.
A related matter and an appeal by Muntazmia Committee Madarsa Behrul Ulum and Kabarstan, which challenges a single judge’s decision to reject the committee’s plea for permission to enter the mosque for Ramadan and Eid prayers, were ordered to be scheduled for May 7 by a bench led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan.
The court noted that a separate appeal contesting this order is scheduled for a hearing in May. The single judge who issued the order did so based on another order prohibiting the offering of prayers on Shab-e-Barat.
The petitioner’s attorney pleaded with the court to issue an order, arguing that Ramadan and Eid would have passed by then. However, the bench, which also included Justice Manmeet PS Arora, objected, stating that no temporary order could be issued in this case at this time, particularly since the single judge had already declined to provide the relief almost a month prior.
“That appeal must be heard in conjunction with the appeal. The order in question was issued on March 11. It took you a very long time to have your matter listed. We are on the 8th day of April today,” the court stated.
“On May 7, this must be heard in conjunction with that appeal. The court continued, “There can be no temporary order.
According to the appellant’s attorney, the committee was not attempting to gain “back-door entry.” He continued by citing the Babri Masjid and Gyanvapi cases as examples of how constitutional courts have previously respected religious convictions and allowed the offering of prayers while there were legal issues pertaining to shrines.
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“Heavens will not fall if Eid prayers are allowed for an hour… A message that Indian courts are just as passionate about upholding Muslim rights will be sent to the country’s citizens, Muslims in particular, the attorneys contended.
On March 11, a single judge ruled that the “Akhoondji mosque” could not hold prayers during Ramadan. The judge also pointed out that the high court had previously rejected the entry of worshippers on Shab-e-Barat and that there was no reason to disagree.
The lone judge noted that the DDA now owned the land in question and that, while addressing the legality of the demolition, an order for the maintenance of the status quo had already been issued.
During the month of Ramzan Shareef, from the sunset of March 11 until Eid-ul-Fitr, the appellant had urged the single judge bench to issue directions allowing unrestricted entry into the site of Masjid Akhoondji to those who wanted to offer the Tarawih prayers.
The Behrul Uloom madrasa and the ‘Akhoondji mosque,’ which are thought to be over 600 years old, were demolished by the DDA on January 30 after being deemed illegal structures in Sanjay Van.
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