By Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — The committee of a 150-year-old mosque in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur has appealed a court order directing its demolition within a month, seeking an immediate stay on the July 17 ruling to preserve one of the city’s historic Islamic landmarks.
The appeal, filed before a district court, challenges City Magistrate Kuldeep Singh’s order requiring demolition of the historic Collectorate Mosque and imposing a fine of about Rs 6.41 crore ($623,000).
During the initial hearing, the district court admitted the appeal, summoned the original case records from the lower court, and scheduled the next hearing for Thursday, July 23.
The mosque committee argues that the demolition order ignores extensive historical and legal evidence establishing that the mosque has existed for well over a century. Lawyers representing the committee said they would pursue the case in the state High Court and the Supreme Court if necessary.
According to the committee’s lawyers, historical documents include rental records dating back to April 1960, municipal records listing the mosque separately from nearby government buildings, and electricity records showing the mosque obtained a power connection in 1911, only a few years after electricity was introduced to the city.
The committee is also coordinating with the Uttar Pradesh Waqf Board to compile historical deeds and other archival documents to present as evidence during the proceedings.
The lawyers asked the court to bar any construction or administrative action that could interfere with prayers at the mosque while the case is under judicial consideration, arguing that authorities should not take irreversible steps before a final verdict.
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.
