New Delhi: In response to concerns over the recent demolition of mosques and dargahs in Somnath Gir, Gujarat, the state government assured the Supreme Court on Friday that the waqf lands in question would not be transferred to any third party until the next court hearing. This development follows the demolition of several religious sites on government land in the early hours of September 27, allegedly in violation of a previous Supreme Court directive.
The bench, comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan, has scheduled the next hearing for November 11, where a contempt petition will address claims that these demolitions disregarded the Court’s prior orders. The petition was filed by Auliya-e-Deen Committee of Junagadh, initiated by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, which argued that the demolished sites included historic mosques and dargahs, while nearby temples were left intact.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioners, criticised the selective targeting of Muslim sites, which he described as heritage properties registered under Wakf. Sibal highlighted that a 2015 directive by the District Collector limited the usage of these lands to government purposes. He argued that the current actions aimed to transfer these lands to private parties, violating both the 2015 order and community trust, and requested a status quo order to prevent further actions.
Responding to these concerns, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, defended the demolitions as lawful and necessary, stating that the structures were unauthorised encroachments rather than protected heritage sites. He accused the petitioners of omitting crucial details in their complaint but assured the Court that no land transfers would occur, and the property would remain under government control for now.
Justice Gavai observed that, depending on the outcome of the case, the Court could potentially order the restoration of these religious sites. The Court accepted the Solicitor General’s assurance, removing the need for an additional interim order on land possession.
Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing another petitioner, underscored that some of the demolished sites were registered as Wakf properties as early as 1903 and classified as ancient monuments. He warned that any shift in possession would make recovery efforts difficult and called for a status quo order to prevent further disruptions.
JUH(M) President Maulana Mahmood Madani condemned the demolitions, describing the incidents in Saurashtra as an affront to the cultural and spiritual heritage of India.
