Owaisi Opposes the Removal of Century-Old Mosque in New Delhi

In Short

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi opposes the proposed removal of the century-old Qadeemi Masjid at Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi, questioning the Centre's argument over secularism and government property.

Owaisi Opposes the Removal of Century-Old Mosque in New Delhi
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Owaisi Opposes the Removal of Century-Old Mosque in New Delhi

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The AIMIM has opposed the stand of the Centre on the hundred-year-old mosque in Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi.

The government said that a permanent religious structure within the premises of a government office was not permissible and was not in tune with the “secular” character of the government property.

Opposing this argument of the Union Government, Owaisi said the government had inaugurated the Central Vista project with a Bhoomi Pooja.

"Apparently, secularism is not offended by the use of one faith’s rituals for a public project, but is allergic to a masjid that has stood there even before 1912, long before Krishi Bhawan was even built," he said in a post on 'X'.

The government said the Central Vista Redevelopment Master Plan provides for the redevelopment and reconstruction of the Common Central Secretariat (CCS) Buildings 4 and 5 at Plot No. 120, covering the footprint of the existing Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan to modernise the infrastructure essential to the governance of the nation.

It said the construction of CCS buildings 4 and 5 is a public project of paramount national importance. The Qadeemi Masjid stands on the project site and is required to be removed from there for the execution of the project, it added.

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