A civil judge court in Mangaluru rejected two interim applications related to Juma Masjid in Malalipete near Mangaluru, on Wednesday. This historic Mosque, protected and preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is being disputed by majoritarian supremacist groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)
Reporting on recent developments, the Deccan Herald states that in the order, the third additional civil judge and JMFC, Nikita Akki, rejected interim applications (IA) No 3 and 4 filed by the Juma Masjid authorities seeking dismissal of the suit seeking an injunction against Juma Masjid from dismantling the old tiled structure.
The court dismissed the interim application filed by the defendant under Section 85 of the Waqf Act 1995 read with Order 7 Rule 11(d) and Section 151 of CPC and also the application filed under Section 4(1) and Section 4(2) of The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The court has extended the temporary injunction on dismantling the old tiled structure that has a temple-like structure. While rejecting the two interim applications, the civil judge posted the case on December 8, for hearing on interim application 2 for the injunction filed by the plaintiff.
This is the 15th case in the country on estimate where The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991 stands violated.
A controversy was made to erupt here over the ‘temple-like structure’, which was noticed during the demolition of a mosque in Malalipete on April 19. Vishva Hindu Parishad leaders had appealed to the district administration to stop the renovation work till documents are verified and later approached the court against the dismantling of the structure.
Rejoicing over the dismissal of two interim applications, VHP Karnataka Dakshina Prantha Joint Secretary said the legal fight will continue. “It is a victory of our belief. We insist on conducting a survey of the site through the court commissioner and Archaeological Survey of India.”
Meanwhile, City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said “security has been strengthened at Malali. In order to ensure no untoward incident occurs, KSRP, and CAR personnel have been deployed as a part of security under the leadership of ACP. DCP (Law and order) Anshu Kumar will visit Malali to supervise security. The petitioner Dhananhay is represented by advocate M Chidananda Kedilaya.
Background
In May 2022, Hindutva Activists demanded to be allowed to pray at this ASI-Maintained Mosque. The Narendra Modi Vichar Manch activists have claimed that the mosque, which was built during Tipu Sultan’s regime, had a Hanuman temple inside the premises. The mosque was built around 1782 and is a heritage site maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The right-wing group Narendra Modi Vichar Manch has sought Mandya district administration’s permission to allow Hindus to pray inside the Jama Masjid in Srirangapatna, which was built during Tipu Sultan’s regime. The activists have claimed that a Hanuman temple once stood inside the mosque, the Indian Express had then reported.
#BREAKING #Mangalore court has agreed to hear petition of #VHP which claimed Malali mosque was built on a temple. The masjid side had argued that it was a #wakf property and the court cannot hear the matter. #VHP has also sought for a survey. pic.twitter.com/90wqIV9UUD
— Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) November 9, 2022
C.T. Manjunath, secretary of the Manch, along with others, met the deputy commissioner of Mandya district on Saturday, May 14, 2022. They submitted a memorandum to allow Hindus to offer puja inside the Jamia Masjid, also known as Masjid-i-Ala, located 120 kilometre from Bengaluru.
According to the Hindustan Gazette, he had claimed in January, “This mosque in Srirangapatna was once a temple and the architecture is also similar to temple. This must be demolished in the same manner as Babri Masjid was demolished. So, Hindu people please wake up, this needs to be done very importantly.”
A local news outlet quoted Manjunath as saying, “The documentary evidence of Tipu writing to a ruler in Persia admitting that there was Hanuman temple and the mosque where Hindu inscriptions on its pillar and walls support our stand. We requested them to open the mosque’s doors to offer prayers.”
Another person, Rishi Kumar Swami of Kali mutt, has claimed that the masjid was constructed by Tipu Sultan after the Hanuman temple was demolished in 1784. Swami was arrested back in January for threatening to demolish the mosque. He is currently out on bail now.
These developments followed fast on the heels of news of the Gyanvapi mosque in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi was sealed after a ‘shivling‘ was allegedly found during the videographed survey inside the premises.
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