Jabalpur: Collector gives “Clean Chit” to illegal Madhai Mosque on Gayatri Mandir land, his effigy carried in a mock funeral procession in response
In Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday, 12th July, the Jabalpur collector posted on his official Facebook account declaring that an investigation had found “no illegal construction” at the Madhai Masjid which has long been a point of dispute.
In response, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal led a protest and symbolic funeral procession of the collector, and called for a city-wide bandh on 16th July. They demanded action against the illegal mosque encroaching on temple land, while the administration struggles to maintain order.
The heart of the dispute: Illegal encroachment by the mosque
The Madhai mosque is standing on the land of the Bal Gayatri Mandir illegally at Khasra number 169. At the same time, the land of the Waqf Board is registered in Khasra number 165, which is about 40 meters away from the mosque. The mosque complex, including shops and a madrasa, sprawls over approximately 3,000 square feet around the disputed plot.
Local authorities acknowledge that confusion is caused by errors in land records. Importantly, they confirm that the matter is currently sub judice, pending a decision in the Collector’s Court where arguments from both sides are being heard. A 2021 report from the Naib Tehsildar reportedly states that the land beneath the mosque was not registered in the name of the Waqf Board or the mosque.
The spark: Collector’s “clean chit” inflames passions
On Saturday, 12th July, the dispute exploded, when the Jabalpur collector posted on his official Facebook account declaring that an investigation had found “no illegal construction” at the Madai Masjid.
VHP and Bajrang Dal say that in this post, an attempt has been made to deny the existence of Bal Gayatri Mandir. Along with this, they have said that this step of the collector has given the message that the administration has already taken a decision. In such a situation, the court process and the sentiments of the public have no importance.
Protests escalate: Funeral processions and bandh call
After this, on Monday, 14th July, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal took out a funeral procession (“arthi juloos”) of the collector in Madhai as a protest. This procession was taken out from Saraswati School to the bus stand, in which a large number of local people, women activists and youth participated. The protesters accused the administration of insulting Hindu sentiments and protecting encroachment on temple land. During this, slogans of “Collector Bhagao, Mabalpur Bachao” (Remove Collector, Save Mabalpur)’ were raised. In view of the seriousness of the matter, the police force had to be deployed in the area.
The backlash against the Collector’s statement was swift and dramatic. The groups issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the state government demanding the Collector’s removal. They declared that failure to meet this demand would result in a Jabalpur bandh on 16th July.
Legal limbo and mounting tensions
The current incident has a long history. Hindu groups submitted memoranda to the administration as far back as June 2021. Organised demonstrations leading to a temporary stay on construction in July 2021, and staged further protests in March 2023. They share that the construction on the illegal structure continued despite the stay.
The mosque committee had filed a petition WP/21354/2024 in the High Court to prove its legitimacy, but due to not being able to submit the necessary documents, they had to withdraw the petition, which has also raised questions on their claim.
Officials consistently stress the dispute is under judicial consideration and urge all parties to await the court’s verdict. They emphasise the need to maintain law and order while the legal process runs its course.
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