Renovation of Masjid

Renovation of Masjid

Re-construction of Damaged Mosques

RECONSTRUCTIN OF MOSQUES

The rioters targeted religious places torching and desecrating them. They used gas cylinder and petrol bombs that caused heavy damage to the basic structure of the mosques. Total 16 mosques were substantially or totally ransacked along with some madrasas and maktabs. Many of the attacks occurred in broad daylight. People who live or work close by, Muslim and Hindu, testified that the mosques were attacked by mobs of varying sizes shouting “Jai Shri Ram”. This incident hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim community as the mosques are very scared places to them.

List of all damaged mosques

Summary of Jamiat’s rehabilitation activities

After assessment of the loss and having received request from the trusties of the mosques, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has decided to reconstruct them on priority basis looking into their religious consideration. In the phase I, the Jamiat took upon to construct 4 mosques in Shiv Vihar, the most affected region in the riots.

Alhamdullilah, at present, the Jamiat is building 7 mosques. An Ibadatkhana was completed at the Jamiat Tyre market in Gokalpuri North East Delhi and is now open for prayers.

Names of the Mosques being reconstructed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind

Madina Masjid

(Gali No.12/13, Phase-06, Shiv Vihar, Delhi-110094)

Current Pic of Madina Masjid (16-08-2020)

Construction of Madina Masjid is underway on war footing

This 25-year-old Masjid had three floors with an area of 200 square yards. The area has more than 20,000 Muslim residents and 15,000 Hindus.

On 25 February, the rioters came at night and broke open the lock of the Masjid. The goons who attacked the mosque were wearing helmets and were armed with weapons. They were chanting slogans of “Jai Shri Ram”,”Har Har Modi”, “Modiji, kaat do in Mullon ko” (Modiji, cut these Muslims into pieces), “Aaj tumhe Azadi denge” (today we will give you freedom).

They were armed with pointed weapons, gas cylinders, petrol bombs and acids. They were fully equipped and they set ablaze the mosque. The interior of the Masjid has been totally burnt. Pillars of the mosque have been completely damaged. The windows have been shattered and burnt. Copies of the Holy Quran and other religious books were set on fire. The Madrasa attached to the Masjid has also been destroyed.

Tayyeba Masjid

(Gali No.2, Gadha Chowk, Phase-3, Shiv Vihar, Delhi-110094)

Current Pic of Tayyeba Masjid (16-08-2020)

Tayyeba Masjid was constructed in 1992. It is spread over an area of 100 yards and has four floors. It additionally served as a Maktab for nearby children. The area, where it is located, is adjacent to the border of Uttar Pradesh. The Muslim population here is miniscule as compared to Hindus who form the majority. About 300-400 Muslims live here while the number of Hindus is around 10,000. The Muslims residing here are mostly low-wage workers.

Around 2 pm on 25 February, the perpetrators started pelting the mosque with stones. They numbered close to 2500-3000 and were covering their faces. Some of them were wearing helmets. Even though the door of the mosque was locked from inside, the mob managed to enter the building by breaking the door open. They started damaging the mosque immediately after entering inside.

The attackers managed to loot an amount of Rs. 1.5 lakh and thereafter hurled CNG gas cylinders into the mosque to set it ablaze. The masjid was damaged on multiple levels: tiles and walls were broken and many books were burnt.

Auliya Masjid

(Nala Road, Phase 7, Shiv Vihar, Delhi- 110094)

Current Pic of Aulia Masjid (16-08-2020)

It is 50-square-yard mosque comprising four floors. People come here to offer their prayers and there is also a maktab/madrasa for students. This Masjid was constructed in 2007. The area consists of a large Hindu population and some 150 Muslims. Most Muslims belong to labourer class while Hindus are government employees and businessmen.

The Muezzin of this mosque informed that on 25 February 2020, after Maghreb at 6:30 pm, he saw people wearing slippers and helmets attacked on the mosques chanting slogans like “Jai Shri Ram.” They broke open the locks of the Masjid, destroyed the interiors, and set it ablaze. Cylinders which were used to blast and demolish the structure were found inside the Masjid. As a result of the impact, the floors and tiles were broken and electrical equipment was completely destroyed. The Maktab/Madrasa adjacent to the mosque was also damaged.

Damages have been estimated is around Rs. 5 lakh.

Ibadatkhana

(Gokalpuri now Jamiat Tyre Market, Near Metro Station, Gokalpuri, Delhi-110094)

Current Pic of Ibadatkhana, Jamiat Tyre Market

This Ibadatkhana was built in 2001 when this Tyre Market was shifted from Meena Bazaar, Jama Masjid, Old Delhi to Gokulpuri. The area of the market is surrounded by Jat-Gujjar Hindu population while the market is run almost exclusively by Muslims.

On 23 February, 2020, at around 6:30 pm, everyone had left the tyre market due to the communal tension in the area. A mob attacked the market at around 7:30 pm. The market kept burning for three days continuously, from 24 to 26 February. Fire brigade, which came to put down the firs, was attacked by the mob. The shop owners who came back to check their property were also attacked with sticks, and their vehicles were damaged. The mob was shouting “Jai Shri Ram”. Many of the perpetrators live-streamed the attacks on social media, and uploaded videos of themselves committing violence. They were all doing it all in the open and proudly. These perpetrators can be seen and identified in the Gokulpuri Metro Station CCTV footage, as all the other cameras installed in the market were burnt down. They were openly carrying swords and other weapons as well as gas cylinders, petrol and chemicals, etc. They broke open shutters and burnt the shops as well as the mosque located inside the market. Nothing of the mosque is left as everything was burnt completely, including copies of the Holy Qur’an. The Imam was attacked with a sword but he was able to run away.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind rebuilds the mosque

Apart from the tyre market, the Jamiat too built this mosque and now open for prayers. On July 24, 2020 New Delhi: Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind (JUH) organized an inauguration programme for reopening 97 shops and mosque in Delhi’s Gokalpuri Tyre market. On this ocassion, Maulana Mahmood Madani, the General Secretary of JUH addressed the event through video conferencing, in presence of East Delhi’s District Magistrate Shashi Kaushal, Additional District Magistrate R R Agarwal and regional SDMs. Maulana Niaz Ahmad Farooqui and Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi, secretaries of JUH gave an endnote and said that what they had done in relief and rebuilding measures should have been done by the government. In order to assist victims, JUH secretaries reiterated its demand that the government must increase ex-gratia amount and compensation other than hastening to pay compensation to the victims of Delhi communal riots.

Meena Masjid

(Bhagirathi Vihar, near Mustafabad, Delhi 110094)

This masjid spreads over 120 sq yard and surrounded by mixed population of Hindu and Muslims.  On 24 February 2020, this masjid was destroyed in broad day light. It was fire bombed through windows that were prised open after their glass panes. The rioters rampaged through them tearing up books, breaking furniture, wrenching off taps, battering anything they could not break, before setting everything on fire. This mosque is substantially damaged and needs repaired.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has started reconstruction of this mosque after lockdown ended.

Masjid Umar Farooq

(Ghonda Chowk, Delhi 110053)

This is the only Masjid in the market built around five years ago. It’s sole purpose was to provide a place to the Muslim shopkeepers to offer their obligatory prayers. The area is dominated by Hindus, mainly of Guar caste. Hindus live in the area near the Masjid. There are a few Muslim houses in the locality but, compared to Hindus, they are insignificant in numbers. The Masjid was surrounded by shops and houses belonging to Hindus. The structure didn’t even look like a Masjid. It was a house which was bought and used as a mosque. It looks more like a room and didn’t have minarets or other obvious symbols to signify that it was a Masjid. It was attacked by the outsiders with the help of local Hindus. It seems that stones were hurled; petrol bombs and gas cylinders were blasted to burn the Masjid. The structure is totally damaged. The floor, the ceiling and the walls are fully damaged. The reconstruction work has started there.

Azizia Masjid

(Gaonri village, Ghonda, Delhi 110053)

This Masjid was constructed in 1975. It spreads over an area of 170 sq yards and has five floors.  It additionally served as a Maktab for nearby children. The area, where it is located, is adjacent to the border of Uttar Pradesh. The Muslim population here is miniscule as compared to Hindus who form the majority. About 40-50 houses of Muslims scattered around the area while the number of Hindus is around 2,500. The Muslims residing here are mostly low-wage workers and tenants.

On 25 February 2020, after Maghreb, about 200 people who covered their face with bhagwa cloths and helmets and chanting slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” broke open the locks of the Masjid, destroyed the interiors, and set it ablaze. As a result of the impact, the floors, ceiling and tiles were broken and electrical equipment was completely destroyed. The reconstruction work is underway.

Masjid Farooqia, Brijpuri

This is an approximately 20-year-old three story Masjid with an adjoining Madarsa, situated in a mixed population area of both Hindus and Muslims. On 25 February, at around 6 pm, the mosque was attacked by a mob. The mob tried to enter the Madarsa, but couldn’t do so as it was locked. According to a person who was present and who suffered injuries at the time, the perpetrators were police in uniform who attacked them while shouting “Jai Shri Ram”. On 26 February at around 6:30-7 am, the mob broke the locks and entered the mosque. They destroyed the CCTVs and LLDs first. On the 26th, a police force, in the uniform and wielding batons, entered the mosque.

At the time of the attack, Mufti Tahir was leading the prayers. The mob attacked the people offering prayers. The Muezzin was held at the gate, while Mufti Tahir was dragged towards the Wazoo Khana.51 He was assaulted by the attackers until he was half-dead. During this attack, an 85-year-old man was beaten and both his hands were broken. Some chemical spray was used to torch the Masjid. All the books, including several copies of Holy Qur’an were burnt to cinders. The damage is estimated at around 50 lakh rupees. In the Madrasa part, the police persons in uniform first set fire to the small office room on the right side, after entering the gate. They threw in cylinders, and managed to destroy CCTV footage and camera. From this room, substantial amount of money was looted. Total damage/loot at this madrasa was around 55 lakh rupees as per the estimate of management of the Madrasa. The Jamiat is constructing both mosque and mardsa