Let there be 'Inquilab' calls for Sunehri
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On December 24, certain newspapers carried an advertisement by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation authorities inviting suggestions and objections if any regarding the demolition of Sunehri Bagh Masjid, one of the city's heritage structures. The advert shocked both history enthusiasts and ordinary people alike. Located in the centre of Lutyens' Delhi, the Sunehri Mosque is a place of worship that has stood tall for two centuries. As part of the construction of the city of New Delhi, many buildings and homes had been demolished, but the British city planners realising its importance preserved intact this mosque built using Mughal architecture. Sunehri Mosque was designated as a Grade-III historic property by the Delhi government in 2009. But now, based on a report given by the Delhi Traffic Police that there is a traffic jam in the area where the mosque stands, the authorities are preparing to demolish it and solve the problem. Until recently, the city residents or civic groups did not say that the presence of this place of worship caused any kind of serious traffic problem, but rather it was seen as one of the shining signs of Indian heritage pride.
With the announcement of the Central Vista project of the central government, which will cost thousands of crores to transform the face of Delhi, there has been a situation where any structure of historical importance will be bulldozed. The Delhi Waqf Board approached the Delhi High Court last July seeking protection of the heritage mosques. The court ordered the status quo to be maintained through an interim order, but that expired in mid-December. It is after this that the municipal corporation issued an advertisement seeking people's response. They have also raised the argument in the court that the mosque should be moved to facilitate traffic in the high-security area which houses the Parliament and central government offices including those of top defence officials. The petition filed by the Imam of Sunehri Bagh Masjid, requesting not to demolish the mosque, is under the consideration of the court. Though it is difficult to make the government recognise the mosque's historical significance given that it is all too happy to rewrite history and remove the uniqueness of monuments commemorating the freedom struggle, there are memories in that sacred hall that the nation's citizens should be aware of and should never forget.
Hazrat Mohani, the brave freedom fighter who first drafted a resolution demanding complete freedom from British rule and who gave the world the all-time revolutionary slogan of Inquilab Zindabad, lived in this mosque, refusing the accommodation and salary provided by the government when he became an MP after the independence of India. Sunehri's doors were left wide open for any downtrodden to enter on any night to meet the brilliant member of the Indian Parliament and to raise their grievances. Such great memories cannot be torn down when the capital city and country expands. Such acts would be unthinkable in any civilised nation. Under the cover of an urban development plan, there is a fear that the government is attempting to destroy the mosque as a form of "karseva" against what is left of mediaeval India. Proceedings against the Sunheri mosque send an alarming message that Muslim buildings are at any time vulnerable to bulldozers, regardless of how important they may be. The minority population of the nation is quite concerned about it. Thousands of messages are reported to have been received by the deadline in the notice of Delhi Municipal Corporation. Whatever their content, Sunehri Mosque must be preserved. For that, there should be a nationwide call for inquilab.
