New Delhi: A high-level delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, under the leadership of its General Secretary Mr. Nusrat Ali, made a detailed visit to Ghausiya Masjid and other mosques and graveyards in Mehrauli area of South Delhi on Saturday. The delegation met the local people whose homes were forcibly demolished by Delhi’s civic body Delhi Development Authority. The homeless locals told the JIH delegation that about 400 families are forced to live under the cold sky. The government on one hand claims to build night shelters for the poor, but on the other it is snatching the huts of the poor and destitute. The victims also told the Jamaat leaders that the land belongs to the wakf board but the DDA is disturbing them without any reason and they are being regularly threatened that if they did not vacate the land then they will take away whatever their belongings left. The Imams of local mosques also told the delegation that the land is wakf property but due to inability and lethargic attitude of the wakf board, DDA is claiming ownership of the land. The locals told that the wakf board did not move even after their attention drawn to the issue many times, and whatever the board is saying is very disturbing and depressing.

The Jamaat delegation inspected the entire area which spans over 30 to 35 bighas of land. The delegation saw the mosques, madrasas and mazars there. There are many old and historic mosques whose pathetic state is evident. The graveyard had filth here and there. The delegation felt that even those mosques and khanqah which are under Archaeological Survey of India are not being maintained properly and their sanctity is being destroyed. The delegation also visited the local madrasas and met their heads and tried to understand the whole issue so that victims could be provided both material and legal help.

Besides the General Secretary, the delegation had three of secretaries of Jamaat, Mohammad Ahmed, Shafi Madani and Engineer Mohammad Salim.