BJP MP Parvesh Verma on Thursday called on Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal and submitted a list of 54 mosques and graveyards which allegedly existed in an unauthorised manner on government land across his constituency of West Delhi.
Mr. Verma had, in a letter to Mr. Baijal last month, alleged that mosques and graveyards were mushrooming on government land, roadsides and vacant spaces and demanded immediate action in this regard.
Conducted survey
“The L-G has assured me of action at the earliest and, in my presence, issued orders for the survey I have been demanding to establish the circumstances on the ground,” Mr. Verma said .
In a memorandum which he submitted to the L-G, the West Delhi MP said he personally conducted a survey of such areas where graveyards and mosques had come up on government land.
The land originally belongs to departments such as the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the Gram Sabha, Flood Department, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and municipal corporations, meant for community facilities such as parks and public toilets, Mr. Verma said.
Mr. Verma reiterated his demand for the formation of dedicated committees with district magistrates and officials concerned for conducting official surveys in this regard.
Taking cognisance of Mr. Verma’s charge, the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) had on June 24 set up a five-member fact-finding committee headed by social activist Ovais Sultan Khan to cross-check his claim.
The other members of the committee include Gurmindar Singh Matharu (Member – SGPC), Dr. Denzil Fernandes (social scientist), Ankur Otto (human rights activist) and Raees Ahmad (journalist).
DMC chairman Zafarul Islam Khan, in a statement, had said that illegal constructions on government lands is an old problem in Delhi.
“DMC does not support illegal occupation of government lands. The way this issue has been raised, it appears to be an effort to build an atmosphere “against a certain community” which is not acceptable,” Dr. Khan had said.
