क्या सरकार और पेड मीडिया मे है हिम्मत इससे टकराने की और इसके खिलाफ कोई कार्यवाही करने की और खबर चलाने की ? पोस्ट इंग्लिश मे होने के लिए माफ़ी। :) Misuse of Jama Masjid By NA Ansari, The Milli Gazette Published Online: Aug 14, 2013 Print Issue: 16-31 August 2013 New Delhi: Tehelka magazine in an article titled Amanat mein khiyanat (Breach of trust) has levelled some serious charges against Jama Masjid’s Imam Maulana Syed Ahmad Bukhari. Giving the historical background of Jama Masjid, Tehelka wrote that when this mosque was completed in 1656, it is said that Emperor Shahjahan was very delighted but at the same time he was also worried because he could not decide as to who should be appointed as the Imam of this magnificent mosque. It was his sincere wish that the Imam of this unique mosque should also be unique, a person who should be a religious scholar competent in all respects. The king of Uzbekistan had told Shahjahan about such a person. Subsequently, Maulana Syed Abdul Ghafoor who, on Shahjahan’s invitation had come from Bukhara, was appointed as the first Imam of this Jama Masjid and given the title of “Imamul Haq”. Syed Ahmad Bukhari is the 13th Imam of Jama Masjid from the same dynasty. In its long story, Tehelka has written about the political use of Jama Masjid’s pulpit and the use of the mosque and its properties for the personal benefit of the Bukhari family. Writing about Jama Masjid’s income and illegal constructions in it, Tehelka said that a few months ago a dispute about Jama Masjid’s electricity bill had arisen. An amount of about Rs 4 crores for the electricity consumed is due. Imam Bukhari says that this bill is to be paid by Delhi Waqf Board, and if the board wants him to pay the bill, it should transfer the Jama Masjid to the Jama Masjid Trust. The Waqf Board in turn says that though the Jama Masjid is a waqf property, the board has no control at all over it as it is completely controlled by Imam Bukhari. About Jama Masjid’s electricity consumption, the accusation against Imam Bukhari, among other things, is that on the Jama Masjid’s electricity meters, 18 ACs are run in Imam Bukhari’s household. About Bukhari family’s occupation of Jama Masjid and its associated properties, illegal constructions inside Jama Masjid etc, a number of people have made complaints and have even gone to courts. Their contention is that the Jama Masjid is the property of the Muslim community, of Waqf Board, but the Imam and his brothers have turned it into their personal fief. Bukhari is the Imam of Jama Masjid, i.e. leader of prayers, but he has become owner of the Jama Masjid. Accusations against Imam started when a portion of the Masjid was used for building a rest-house for pilgrims and passengers but Imam brought it under his personal occupation and made it his own resting place. In addition to making it his rest house, he also built a large house in it for his son but when there was a hue and cry over the house for his son, he passed it off as a toilet for visitors. Another accusation is that near Gate No. 5 in Jama Masjid campus, DDA had built a big meeting hall named “Jannat Nishaan” for the use of common people but after some time the Imam’s younger brother Yahya Bukhari occupied it for his own personal use and even today it is under his control and occupation. At the same time the government dispensary situated at Gate No. 9 is now occupied by the Imam’s younger brother Hasan Bukhari. Last year, one Suhail had filed a case in the High Court against spoiling the historical beauty and shape of Jama Masjid by the illegal constructions inside the Mosque by the Imam and his brother. The High Court constituted a team to enquire into the illegal constructions. This team in its report confirmed that illegal constructions inside the Mosque have been made. As regards the parking places near Jama Masjid, not only these spaces but large spaces around these parking areas have also been occupied by the Bukhari family, some of which are for his personal parkings while others are used for paid public parkings. Income from these parking spaces goes into the personal accounts of Bukhari family. Tanveer Akhtar, a shop keeper in the motor market outside Jama Masjid, says that the Corporation’s ground near Masjid’s Gate No 1 was earlier being used since long for marriage and other functions etc but today it is under the occupation of the Imam’s brothers. If someone wants to book that ground for marriage etc, he has to give a fat amount to Bukhari’s people. Another shop keeper of Meena Bazar, near Jama Masjid, said on condition of anonymity that all the four Bukhari brothers have occupied the Jama Masjid from all the four sides. In addition, from Masjid’s Gate No 2 to Red Fort and to Urdu Bazar all the shops, permanent ones as well as on footpaths etc, operate with the permission and authority of Imam Saheb. In the year 2006, serious accusations were levelled against the Imam when the Saudi monarch King Abdullah had offered financial help for the repair of Jama Masjid. Government of India, though very much surprised at this unsolicited offer of King Abdullah without the matter being brought to its knowledge, refused this financial offer with thanks, saying that the Indian government would itself get these repairs done. It subsequently came to be known that Imam Bukhari had made such a request to the King saying that the mosque’s walls and minarets etc had developed cracks and his help was needed to repair them. When Imam Bukhari was asked if he had asked for the Saudi monarch’s financial help, he flatly denied but subsequently the then Saudi ambassador in India Saleh Muhammad Al Ghamdi said in a press release that Jama Masjid’s Imam Bukhari had requested the Saudi government for financial help. Probably the Imam thought that the help would come to him without the Govt of India being brought into the picture. Some years ago posters were seen in Jama Masjid area in which some questions asked and their answers were sought, such as: In whose account/s incomes from sale of tickets for entry in Masjid’s minarets, fees for permission for bringing in camera and videography equipment, are estimated at Rs 20,000 daily or about Rs 6 lakhs monthly, go? Where does the income from parkings at Jama Masjid’s VIP gate, which is about Rs 4500 daily or about Rs 1,35,000 monthly, for which no tender is ever invited, go? With whose permission you built your personal residence on the DDA Park which is part of the Jama Masjid which itself is a historical heritage and a trust of the nation? In 2005, the Delhi High Court in its verdict regarding the dispute between Waqf Boad and Imam Bukhari on the claim over Jama Masjid, had not only stated that the Jama Masjid is the property of the Waqf Board but also had ruled that Imam Bukhari is an employee of the Waqf Board. The Court had also directed Imam Bukhari not to interfere in Jama Masjid’s historical shape, affairs, building structure etc without the Waqf Board’s approval. About Waqf Board’s question regarding Jama Masjid’s income, the court had also directed Imam Bukhari to submit a statement of his income and expenditure of the past 30 years to the Waqf Board. No mention is made about the compliance of this order of the High Court by Imam Bukhari. This article appeared in The Milli Gazette print issue of 16-31 August 2013 on page no. 15 milligazette/news/9117-misuse-of-jama-masjid
Posted on: Mon, 02 Sep 2013 12:13:47 +0000
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