Delhi, 4th March 2025: About one and a half dozen Hindu families pasted posters outside their houses in protest against the construction of the mosque in Brahmpuri Gali No. 12. On Monday, the matter got so heated that the police barricaded the street and deployed security forces. Five entry points into the street were guarded.
When BJP leader Jai Bhagwan Goyal, who is the international working president of the United Hindu Front, reached the protest in support of the people along with the workers, the police did not allow them to enter. They shouted slogans outside the street and interacted with the families living there. There people told him that the mosque built on street number 13 is being extended to street number 12 against the rules.
The Municipal Corporation issued a show-cause notice stating that the building plan was approved by hiding important details, which led to the construction being stopped in mid-February. It is alleged that the plan was passed under the residential category. Locals say the expansion of the mosque on Street No. 13, Gali No. 12, began about one and a half months ago by combining two 75 yards plots.
A gate was built as part of the mosque expansion on Gali No. 12, covered with blue sheets. Just 100 meters away stands an old Shiva temple, raising concerns about possible tensions if the gate is opened. Locals worry that large gatherings during festivals could lead to disputes.
Some residents allege the construction is an attempt to force Hindu families out. They also claim that youths from other communities create disturbances at night, shouting abuses and throwing stones at homes and shops. A video of these incidents surfaced on Sunday night, followed by a complaint to ACP Seelampur on Monday, signed by two dozen people. Earlier, Jan Sahyog Vikas Samiti chairman Shankar Lal Gautam had taken the issue to senior authorities. In response,
Additional DCP Manasvi Jain and her team were deployed to monitor the situation.
According to revenue records, six donors from the Muslim community donated the land for the mosque to the Al Mateen Welfare Society in April 2024. The society’s president, Abdul Mateen, resides in Nizamuddin West. Despite multiple attempts to contact him for a response, he did not answer the calls. The same happened when trying to reach architect Mohammad Dawood. Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation has issued two notices at the construction site, naming both individuals.
Allegations of unauthorized expansion, forced displacement, and rising tensions have added to the unrest. While authorities have issued notices and are closely monitoring the situation, the dispute remains unresolved, reflecting the deep concerns of the local community.