When hundreds of Muslim residents gathered on the road to protest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s proposal to demolish an allegedly unlawful component of a mosque, tensions in the Mumbai Dharavi slum erupted today.
Given the current circumstances, a significant number of police officers have been stationed there to avert any unfortunate incident, according to an official.
The incident happened when authorities and police went to the Mehboob-e-Subaniya Mosque in Dharavi to tear down an unauthorised building. A sizable group of Muslims who had gathered on the road to prevent the authorities from carrying out the destruction blocked the lane leading to the mosque. Additionally, the mob vandalised the BMC vehicles that came for the demolition. The people who were obstructing the road caused tension in the neighborhood.
“At approximately nine in the morning, a group of BMC officials from the G-North administrative ward arrived at 90 Feet Road in Dharavi to demolish a purportedly unlawful section of Mehboob-E-Subhani masjid.
A police official told the media that shortly after a sizable group of locals gathered at the location, they prevented the civic authorities from going into the road where the mosque is situated. He continued by saying that hundreds of people later gathered in opposition to the intention to dismantle the mosque’s illegitimate construction outside the nearby Dharavi police station and squatted on the road. According to the police source, discussions are underway to find a solution between a delegation from the mosque, BMC representatives, and Dharavi police. Given the current circumstances, a significant number of police officers have been stationed in the heavily populated region to avert any unfortunate incidents.
In the meantime, the Congress party has come in support of the illegal construction of the mosque. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad met Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and demanded that the sentiments of the Muslims should be respected.
“Today I met the Chief Minister regarding the BMC’s demolition notice at Mehboob-e-Subaniya Mosque in Dharavi, and I conveyed the sentiments of the people. I had a positive conversation with the Chief Minister. He said that he would talk to the concerned officials and assured them that the demolition proceedings would be stopped,” she wrote on X.
She also shared a copy of a letter she addressed to the chief minister of Maharashtra, stating that the Dharavi mosque next to the Himalaya Hotel had been there for a long time. She insisted that the Dharavi Rehabilitation Authority (DRP) look into the mosque’s encroachment and that any demolition should not happen until the DRP has completed its investigation. She asked the Chief Medical Officer to halt the “regressive action” of demolishing the unauthorised building.
However, BJP leaders have called for action to stop mosques building illegally. Former MP and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya claimed to have sent Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis a letter requesting action against “land jihad” and unlicensed mosques.
The construction and expansion of an unlicensed mosque in Dharavi is encouraging land jihad. He said, “Uddhav Thackeray, Sena, and Congress leaders incite riots by provoking the Muslim community when government employees come to demolish unauthorised constructions.”
According to Nitish Rane, the incident demonstrates how “Jihadis wish to bring Sharia law into the country.” According to him, it demonstrates that Jihadis do not uphold the constitution, and if they wish to exhibit such dadagiri, they ought to travel to Bangladesh and Pakistan.
