The Delhi High Court on Monday brokered peace between the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Muslims protesting against the demolition of an illegal mosque in the Jangpura B-Block here by allowing 10 members of the minority community to offer namaz at the site and the DDA to reclaim the land by building a boundary wall around it.
However, the court made it clear to the DDA that it would not raise any other structure at the site except the boundary wall for two months within which it expected the Authority and the community leaders to find a solution to the controversy.
Stern warning
Issuing a stern warning to those who were in the forefront of leading protests against the demolition of the illegal mosque last week on an order by the court, Justice G.S. Sistani said no one would be allowed to violate the order.
The demolition order had got finality as no one had challenged it, the court said.
Justice Sistani said the interim arrangement would be in force for two months to allow the parties involved in the dispute to find a solution.
The Noor Charitable Society, which ran the mosque, and the Delhi Wakf Board also assured the court that they would obey and respect its orders and make efforts to find a solution to the dispute.
The court also said that it was keeping in abeyance the contempt petition filed by the Jangpura Residents' Welfare Association against the Delhi Chief Minister, the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid and three Delhi MLAs for allegedly instigating people to trespass into the DDA's land after demolition of the mosque, saying it was not needed at this moment.
Entry point
Asking the DDA to build a boundary wall around the land, Justice Sistani asked it to leave an entry point to allow listed members of the community to offer namaz at the site.
The judge said a list of those who would offer namaz would be handed over to the DDA and the police.
Earlier, DDA counsel submitted that there did occur an encroachment on the site after the demolition of the mosque. Counsel said a tent had been put up at the site and also there were some squatters there.
The DDA said it had lodged a police complaint against the trespassing.
