New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- A major row has erupted in the national capital following an eviction notice served to the over 100-year-old Race Course Mosque, situated near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. The mosque's imam, Mohammed Harun, alleged that local authorities instructed him to vacate the premises within six days. He stated that utility connections, including electricity and water supply, were disconnected, gates were locked, and security personnel were deployed, severely obstructing worshippers from offering prayers.

A public notice posted at the site by the Land and Development Office (L&DO), with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) named as the executing agency, declared the land as central government property. It warned that any unauthorised occupation, encroachment, or construction on the two-bigha premises constitutes a legal offense subject to punitive action.

In response, community representatives and legal advocates pointed to statutory records protecting the structure. The property spanning two bighas and including both the mosque and an adjoining graveyard behind Safdarjung Tomb was formally notified as a Waqf property under Entry No. 18 in the Delhi Administration's Gazette on September 8, 1977. Furthermore, it was designated as a protected heritage site by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) under an official notification dated October 1, 2009.

Imam Harun, who has been associated with the mosque for nearly four decades, noted that a survey conducted in 2021 had not classified the structure as an encroachment.

The issue quickly gained political momentum. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called for urgent intervention from Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, criticising the Delhi Waqf Board for failing to challenge the eviction order in court despite its statutory obligations.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Amanatullah Khan claimed that Delhi Waqf Board officials assured him the mosque remains safe on registered Waqf land. Delhi Police also denied reports of demolition actions affecting religious structures in the area, while acknowledging recent judicial directives relocating nearby slum clusters. Following the outcry, the Delhi Waqf Board formally petitioned the L&DO to seek protection for the heritage site and restore essential utility connections.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.