Blueprint of the Ayodhya mosque shared by the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation. (Photo: PTI)
Ayodhya (UP): A BJP leader in Ayodhya has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging him to reclaim the land allocated for the construction of a mosque in the city, alleging that no significant efforts have been made to build it.
In a letter dated December 10, BJP leader Rajneesh Singh raised concerns about the progress of the mosque's construction on the five-acre plot allocated by the state government in the Dhannipur area. The land was designated for the mosque as part of the Supreme Court's November 9, 2019 ruling, which settled the long-standing dispute over the Babri Masjid site. The court directed the construction of the Ram temple at the original Babri Masjid site and ordered the provision of an alternative plot for the mosque.
Singh claimed that since the ruling, the Muslim community has not undertaken any meaningful effort to construct the mosque, alleging that their intention was never to build a mosque but rather to keep the discord alive. He further argued that the land was being used for other purposes by the Muslim community instead of for the mosque’s construction, in violation of the Supreme Court's order.
He contended that a mosque was not necessary for prayers and appealed to Adityanath to direct the officials of the Ayodhya mosque trust to comply with the Supreme Court's orders. Singh suggested that if the mosque could not be built, the land should be returned to the government to prevent its misuse.
In a statement to PTI, Singh criticized the Muslim community's alleged motives, claiming that the mosque was intended to preserve the legacy of Babur and manipulate Hindu sentiments in the name of the Babri Masjid. When contacted, Athar Husain, the secretary of the Ayodhya Masjid Trust, declined to comment on the issue.
Singh had previously petitioned the Allahabad High Court in 2022, claiming that the Taj Mahal was an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, referred to as the "Tejo Mahalaya".
With PTI inputs