Police force expresses its inability to provide security for carrying out the demolition work due to manpower crunch.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has ordered the demolition of the Jamalia Gausiya Madarsa Masjid (Badi Masjid) located at Borivali (E). Afternoon Voice had carried a story pertaining to this issue on 23rd February, 2015. For carrying out the demolition work, the BMC requires police force to maintain law and order. On the other hand, the police force has expressed its inability to provide security for undertaking the demolition work due to manpower crunch.
The trustee of the Badi Masjid had sent copies of local councillor’s letter, registration certificate, assessment bill cum receipt, electricity bill to the R/Central Ward office for proving the legality of Madarsa. The ward office nonetheless was unsatisfied with the documents submitted by the trustee and ordered for the demolition of the structure. It also has asked the trustee to remove the notice structure within 24 hours from the receipt of the letter failing which the former will go ahead with the demolition work. Pravin Darekar had provided funds for the construction of the Madarsa through local area development fund.
An official from R/Central Ward office said, “We are not satisfied with the documents submitted by the trustee to prove the legality of the Madarsa and hence have ordered for its demolition.”
An official from Dahisar Police station spoke to this paper on the condition of anonymity and said, “We are unable to carry out the demolition work of the structure due to shortage of manpower. Right now it will be difficult for us to deploy additional police force as our work force is busy with their routine duties.”
Some residents of Girishikar apartments had earlier opposed the construction of mosque and had termed it as illegal. The area where this structure is constructed is notified as a no development zone (NDZ). The residents had filed a complaint about this issue with the BMC since September 2014.
In the year 2008 former Corporator Bhaskar Khursange had provided funds to construct the Madarsa from the development fund. Members of the Ahle-Sunnat-Val-Jamat trust nonetheless say that the Madarsa is legal and it was constructed prior to 1995
Former Corporator Bhaskar Khursange said, “I had helped them in the construction of Madarsa and also had provided funds from the development fund in 2007-2008. Trustees may have failed to obtain permission from the BMC for carrying out the renovation work.”
Last month, BJP MP Gopal Shetty and Ashish Shelar didn’t turn up for inaugurating the Madarsa due to the pressure imposed by VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders. VHP and Bajrang Dal had declared the Madarsa as illegal and they had asked everyone to protest against it.
