The district administration of Maharashtra’s Erandol town has sealed a historical mosque and placed a temporary ban on Islamic prayers (Saleh) within its premises. The decision comes as a response to claims from a Hindutva group, who allege that the mosque was constructed by demolishing a Hindu religious structure. The Observer Post reported.
In response to the administration’s actions, the Mosque Committee Trust has taken the matter to the Aurangabad High Court, seeking to challenge the order and requesting permission for people to resume their prayers at the mosque.
The mosque holds historical significance in the town and has been a place of worship for generations of Muslims. Many believe that the allegations made against it are an attempt to marginalize and discriminate against the Muslim community
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The trust’s advocate, Shahid Nadeem, expressed the urgency of the matter, however, the court decided not to list the case on Wednesday.
Nadeem argued that the collector’s order to seal the mosque was illegal since it is located on a registered Waqf property, and decisions regarding waqf properties should be handled by the Waqf tribunal.
He stated that the collector had bypassed the appropriate authority and deemed the order prima facie illegal.
Reportedly, concerned District Collector, Jalgaon, Aman Mittal invoked Section 145 of the CrPc (Criminal Procedure Code) on Tuesday, imposing a temporary ban on prayers at the mosque.
In May of this year, the president of the Hindutva outfit, Pramodhusadan Dandvate, filed a complaint before the Jalgaon district magistrate, alleging that the mosque’s trust had illegally occupied their land.
They requested a survey and sealing of the mosque. District Collector Mittal summoned the petitioner, mosque trustee, Tehsildar, and a representative from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Tuesday to hear all sides.
After the discussions, Mittal issued the order banning namaz at the mosque and also imposed Section 144 due to the “sensitivity of the situation.”
The administration requested relevant documents from the Waqf authorities as well.
This incident is part of a larger trend where mosques across India have been targeted and subject to claims by Hindutva groups.
