– Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi, Feb. 15: Sheher, a civil society group, on Wednesday strongly condemned the spate of demolitions targeting the cultural and historical heritage in Delhi. They also called for a halt to the destruction of Delhi’s historical heritage.
Addressing a protest meeting at Press Club of India against demolitions in Mehrauli, they said the Akhundji Mosque, an orphanage, and a graveyard were razed to the ground by authorities without any prior communication with their caretakers. They also debunked the government’s claim that these sites were encroached upon on public land.
Speakers underlined that the Akhundji Masjid’s structure dates back to the Tughlaq period, and its chronogram mentions it was repaired by Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1853-54. The graveyard dates back 500 years and is still in use. Far from being encroachments, these structures predate the modern city and continue to be part of the lived heritage of the city.
“Such attacks on mosques and shrines in Delhi constitute an unconscionable assault on our lived heritage, which is shared across faiths. We condemn these attempts to erase memory and places of habitation,” they added.
They also pointed out that the recent destruction is part of a pattern of demolitions undertaken by authorities in the city over the past year. The wanton destruction of homes, bastis, religious structures, shops, and markets amounts to a violation of people’s rights to life, employment, and safe housing.
The Akhundji Mosque’s exact age is still unknown. But historical narratives offer some perspective. The mosque was repaired in 1270 AH (1853–4 CE), according to a 1922 Archaeological Survey of India publication. It was located west of an older Idgah built in 1398 CE during Taimur’s invasion of India.
Maulvi Zafar Hasan’s ‘Catalogue of Muhammadan and Hindu Monuments, Volume III’ mentions that the Akhundji Mosque, about a hundred yards west of the Idgah, had an arched roof supported by two pillars made of stone from the area. Historian Rana Safvi said that, given the use of Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar’s takhallus, the inscription detailing renovations in 1270 AH (1853–54) may be linked to him, despite contradicting histories.
The DDA, which comes under the union government, claims it was an encroachment in a reserved forest area. Historians say the mosque predates the notification of the area as a reserved forest in 1994.
The encroachment claim is refuted by author Sohail Hashmi, who claims the mosque was already there before Sanjay Van Bhoomi was established in 1994. The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to DDA in response to a petition filed by Waqf Board Management Committee, questioning the basis for the mosque’s demolition.
Heritage and history enthusiasts believe that Mehrauli has lost most of its cultural legacy. Media attention to the demolitions has focused on the 700-year-old Akhundji Mosque and the nearby graveyard. Concerns over the presence of the CRPF and police personnel near the burial place, where they have been performing final rites for generations, have been voiced by the caretakers, Maulanas, and residents.
They said, “We strongly condemn this practice of ‘demolition raj’ that has taken on new and violent forms across the country. We are deeply saddened and concerned by the recent demolitions in Haldwani and the heartbreaking consequences that have followed.”
“We demand a stop to all demolitions and guarantees from the concerned government bodies that the cultural and built memory of the city will be preserved. We demand that the voices of invested local communities be heard,” they said.
The meeting was addressed by Advocate Anas Tanweer Farooqi, historian and civil rights activist Uma Chakravarti; Anil Bakshi, head of the street vendors group; and Nilesh Kumar, member of Delhi Housing Right Task Force.
