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16 Mosques Destroyed By Mobs During Anti-Muslim Violence In Northeast Delhi: Delhi Minorities Commission Report

23 Jul 2020 05:07 PM, IST


16 Mosques Destroyed By Mobs During Anti-Muslim Violence In Northeast Delhi: Delhi Minorities Commission Report
11 mosques destroyed during anti-Muslim violence in Northeast Delhi

Syed Khalique Ahmed| India Tomorrow

 

NEW DELHI, JULY 23—Delhi Minorities commission, in its fact-finding report on Northeast Delhi riots submitted to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has reported that as many as 18 Muslim religious places located in Hindu-dominated areas were targetted by the rioters. However, no harm occurred to Hindu temples in Muslim dominated areas.

 

The report says that the temples and Hindu religious places were guarded and protected by the local Muslims. According to the report, 11 mosques, five madrasas, one graveyard and one ‘mazar’ were vandalised by the miscreants during the riots.

 

The report has alleged that police and fire brigade did not respond to the calls by the local Muslims when the rioters were attacking mosques, madrasas (Muslim seminaries) and graveyards. Large scale damage was done to the Muslim places of worship. Copies of the Holy Quran in several mosques were also burnt down.

 

What is shocking is that the police did not register any FIR in connection with burnings of mosques and Muslim religious places.

 

Eyewitnesses told the 10-member fact finding committee that rioters were in police uniform while attacking the Brijpuri and several others mosque and were raising slogans ofJai shri Ram’. The 85-year-old Mufti Mohammed Tahir, ‘muezzin’ of the mosque, was badly beaten and both of his hands were fractured.

 

The mosques that were vandalised are, according to the report, located in Ashok Nagar, Gokulpuri, Khajuri Khas, Brijpuri, Karawal Nagar, Shiv Vihar, Jyoti Colony, Khajuri Khas and Ghonda and other areas. The rioters in many mosques used LPG cylinders to cause blast and damage the buildings. They also used petrol bombs and acid to attack people.

  

The list of the mosques burnt and damaged during riots are:  

1.     Chand Masjid, Ashok Nagar.

2.     Masjid Farooqia, Brijpuri.

3.     Jannati Masjid, Gokulpuri.

4.     Fatima Masjid, Khajuri Khas.

5.     Masjid Abdullah Bukhari, Tyre Market, Gokulpuri.

6.     Masjid Umar Farooq, Ghonda.

7.     Madeena Masjid, Shiv Vihar.

8.     Auliya Masjid, Shiv Vihar.

9.    Taiyaba Masjid, Shiv Vihar.

10.   Allah Wali Masjid, Bhagat Singh Colony.

11.   Masjid Maula Baksh, Ashok Nagar, Gokulpuri.

12.  Mina Masjid,  Bhagirathi Vihar.

13.  Milan Garden Masjid, Karawal Nagar.

14. Mubarak Masjid, Garhi Mendu, near Khajuri.

15. Azizia Masjid, Ghaonri Village, Ghonda.

16. Umar Masjid, Lal Bagh Mandi, Shiv Vihar.

 

Madrasas:

1.     Madrasa Tayyabul Uloom, Ashok Nagar (Shahadara)

2.     Jamiatul Huda Madrasa, Brajpuri.

3.     Madarsatul Uloom, Gokulpuri.

4.     Madrasa Mahmoodia, Khajuri Khas.

5.     Madrasa Abdullah Bukhari, Tyre Market, Gokulpuri.

 

Qabrastan:

1.           Qabrastan, Jyoti Colony.

 

Mazar:

1.    Saiyed Chand Baba Mazar, Bhajanpura.

 

 

Chand Masjid, E-Block, Ashok Vihar

 

It is a two-floor mosque, built over 110 square yards area. It was built in 1983 in a Hindu-dominated area of Ashok Vihar. There are hardly 15-20 Muslim families, all of them daily wage labourers. Only two of the Muslim residents are businessmen but they are also not very well off.

 

A mob attacked the mosque at 2 pm on February 25. They collected air-conditioners, air-coolers, a sound system and books including copies of the Holy Quran in the middle of the mosque and set them ablaze by using petrol. The floor of the mosque was also damaged. The residents called up police and fire brigade but no one turned up. Even in the FIR, police did not record that the Masjid was set on fire despite eyewitnesses account, photos and video.

 

According eyewitnesses, the mob consisted of residents from D Block and E Block of the locality. Most of them had covered their faces and wearing helmets, chanting “Jai Shree Ram” slogans. They were all youths in the age group of 25-30.

 

The Delhi government did not give any compensation. The repair work was carried out by the Delhi Waqf Board.

 

 

Majid Furqania, Brijpuri

 

It is a 20-year-old mosque, with an adjoining ‘madrasa’, in a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims.

 

The mob attacked the mosque at 6 pm on February 25.

 

According to an eyewitness, who sustained injuries in the attack, “the perpetrators were in police uniform who attacked the mosque first on February 25 and attacked the people while shouting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans.

 

“They came again on February 26 at 6.30 am, broke the lock at the gate of the mosque. They destroyed CCTV cameras and LLDs first. They were again in police uniform and wielding batons when they entered the mosque”, eyewitnesses told the fact-finding committee.

 

                                                                                       Brijpuri Masjid 

    

The attack took place when the prayers were on and led by Mufti Tahir. The mob attacked the people offering prayers. The muezzin was held at the gate, while Mufti Tahir was dragged to the Wuzu Khana. He was badly beaten by the attackers and left half-dead.

 

Some chemical spray was also used to torch the Masjid. All the books, including several copies of the Holy Quran, were burnt to ashes. The damage is estimated to be at around Rs. 50 lakh.

 

In the ‘madrasa’ part, miscreants wearing police uniform set afire a small office. Substantial amount of money was also looted. They destroyed CCTV camera. The damage to ‘madrasa’ is estimated to be around Rs. 55 lakh.

 

Jannati Masjid, A-Block, Gokulpuri

 

The three-floor Masjid, with a ‘madrasa’ attached to it was constructed in 1978, in Gokulpuri having around 200 Muslims, including those in adjoining Yamuna Vihar.

 

The mosque was attacked on February 25, 26 and 27. On February 26, gas cylinders were thrown inside the mosque. On February 27, more than two CNG cylinders were used to blow up the mosque building. Iron gates of the mosque were removed and stolen. CCTV cameras were destroyed. Total damage is estimated to the tune of Rs. 1.5 crore but no compensation has been given by the government.

 

 

Fatima Masjid, C-Block, Khajuri Khas

 

It is a four-floor Masjid built in 2006-2007, amid Hindu majority. There are only 42 Muslim families, mostly working class and poor, in the vicinity. The mob attacked the masjid and its adjoining ‘madrasa’on February 25. They forced the Imam to chant the slogans of “Jai Shri Ram”. Two persons belonging to the same area and known to the Imam and others for three decades, were leading the mob of 20-25 persons, all of them wearing helmets and covering their faces. One of them fired bullets on the mosque. They blasted several LPG cylinders inside the mosque, resulting into one of the floors collapsing to the ground. A cash amount of Rs. 2 lakh was looted. Total loss is estimated to around Rs. 15 lakh.  Religious books, including Holy Quran, were burnt. No FIR lodged. No compensation paid.

 

Masjid Abdullah Bukhari, Tyre Market, Gokulpuri

 

Built in 2001, the mosque, with a ‘madrasa’ attached to it, was attacked on February 23 evening when the riots first broke out after speeches by a BJP leader near Jafrabad Metro Station. Shouting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans, they burnt the mosque completely, including copies of the Holy Quran. The attackers were carrying iron rods, swords and other weapons as well as gas cylinders, petrol and chemicals etc. The perpetrators live-streamed the attacks on social media while committing the violence. The Imam of the mosque was attacked with a sword but he ran away. Total loss is said to be around Rs. 7-8 lakh. No compensation paid. The Delhi Waqf Board is rebuilding the mosque.

 

Masjid Umar Farooq, Ghonda Chowk

 

This mosque was built five years ago, by converting a house. It has no minarets and resembles like a house only. Only the locals knew that it is a mosque and used to go there for prayers. It is located in a Hindu dominated area, with only a few Muslim houses in the locality. The time of attack is not known as the people living in the area had vacated their houses and shifted to safer places after the riots broke out on February 23 evening. Petrol bombs and LPG cylinders were used to blast and to burn the mosque. The floor, the ceiling and walls were completely damaged. The loss amounts to Rs. 3 lakh approximately.

 

Madina Masjid, Shiv Vihar

This 25-year-old Masjid was having three floors over an area of 200 square yards. Though the Muslim population here is around 20,000 and Hindus number around 15,000 in the locality but all other nearby residential societies are inhabited by Hindus. A mob of youths wearing helmets and masks and carrying sharp-edged weapons attacked the mosque and the ‘madrasa’ attached with it on February 25 while raising slogans of “Jai Shri Ram”, “Modiji, kaat do in Mullon ko”(Modiji, cut these Muslims into pieces) and “Aaj tumhe azadi denge”(Today we will give you freedom) with reference to anti-CAA agitation which was led by Muslims after the passage of the law by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in December 2019.

 

The miscreants carried LPG cylinders, petrol bombs and acid. The mosque was attacked on February 25, after the Muslims vacated their houses on February 24. The miscreants threw acid on a youth Mohammed Wakil, standing near the mosque. They blasted the LPG cylinder to cause damage to the ceiling and interior of the mosque. They burnt the copies of the Holy Quran and other religious literature. The estimated damage is to the tune of about Rs. 40 lakhs. No compensation.

 

Auliya Masjid, Shiv Vihar

 

The mosque is located in an area with only 150 poor Muslims in a large Hindu population. It was built on an area of 50 square yards in 2007 to meet the religious requirement of the local Muslims. The mosque, along with a ‘madrasa’ affiliated with it, was attacked by a mob shouting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans. The miscreants used several LPG cylinders to destroy the mosque. As usual, they also burnt all religious literature, including the copies of the Holy Quran. The estimated loss is pegged at Rs. 15-20 lakh. No compensation given by the state government.

 

Tayyaba Masjid, Shiv Vihar

 

Constructed in 1992, the mosque is spread over an area of 100 square yards and is having four floors. It also worked as a maktab for the local children. There are only 300-400 Muslims, compared to 10,000 Hindus in the locality. Muslims are generally low-wage workers.

 

It was attacked during zuhr(afternoon) prayers on February 25. About 2500-3,000 people wearing helmets and masks entered the area around the mosque. Shouting slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” and saying that “we will give you Azadi”, some of them broke the entry gate of the mosque which had been closed by the people assembled for namaz. While they beat up severely some people, they used LPG cylinders to cause damage to the ceiling, floors and walls. They also looted Rs. 1.5 lakh kept in the office of the mosque. The loss is estimated to be around Rs. 6.5 lakh. No compensation received from the government.

 

Allah Wali Masjid, Bhagat Singh Colony, Karawal Nagar

 

The four-flour mosque was attacked on February 24 evening, by a mob shouting slogans of “Jai Shri Ram”. The mob of about 200-250 people looted everything they could get in the mosque. They defiled about 100 copies of the Holy Quran. Police was informed but did not come on time. When they came, they went back without doing anything. No FIR lodged. No compensation paid.

 

Masjid Maula Baksh, Ashok Nagar

Constructed in 1974, almost 45 years ago with its foundation laid by Qari Mohammed Tayyab, a well-known Islamic scholar, it is located in a Hindu dominated locality, with only 25 Muslim families living there and that too, scattered. It is built in an area of 400 square yards. The attackers, as usual, were wearing helmets, covering their faces and carrying metal rods, petrol bombs, knives, swords, hammers and LPG cylinders. They attacked the mosque around 1 pm on February 25. The mosque was completely destroyed and religious scriptures, including copies of the Holy Quran, vandalised and burnt. The miscreants also unfurled a saffron flag on its minaret. Nearby Muslim houses and nine shops were looted and burnt. The loss is pegged at Rs. 50 lakh approximately. No compensation paid so far.

 

                                             Masjid Maula Baksh, Ashok Nagar

 

Sayyed Baba Mazar, Bhajanpura

It was attacked around 12 pm on February 25. The miscreants, who comprised youngters, shouted, “Yeh Musalmon ki hai, he todo pehle”(this belongs to the Muslims, break it first) and “Har, har Mahadev” and “Jai Shri Ram”. About 90 per cent of the structure was burnt down. The estimated loss is Rs. 3 lakh. Surprisingly, there was a police point adjoining the Mazar when all this was happening.

 

Qabrastan(Graveyard), Jyoti Colony

The rioters did not spare even the graveyard spread over five bighas of land. They pulled down its boundary wall, its office room was also razed to the ground. Many graves were put on fire, its iron gate was stolen. A water tank, stone benches and some other structures were also destroyed. The qabrastan was not harmed even during 1984 violence. The qabrastan is located in a mixed area, with Hindus forming the majority.

 

 

 

 




Keywords : Northeast Delhi violence ,   Mosques ,   Delhi Minorities Commission  




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Hameed Baig


26 July 2020 10:04 AM
This pandemic is the direct result of destructing mosques and burning quran-e-sharif in Delhi riots. Those who did this and those who abated it will definitely regret in sha Allah






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