Mumbai: Protests erupt in Dharavi over mosque demolition, tensions escalate

Protestors have blocked the road/ Screengrab

Mumbai's Dharavi area witnessed unrest as the Muslim community staged protests against the demolition of Mehboob-e-Subani mosque. A team of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials had reached Dharavi to demolish the encroachments on the mosque, located in one of the city's most densely populated areas.

BMC had sent a demolition notice stating that they would demolish encroachments but the locals argued that the mosque has been around for 25 years.

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Locals, when the BMC team reached the spot, blocked the road which caused disruptions to traffic. The angry protestors vandalised the civic body vehicle by pelting stones.

A delegation of the trustees and community members along with the BMC officials conducted a meeting in the presence of police officials at the Dharavi Police Station.

Dharavi mosque demolition: Trustees seek time to demolish encroachments

The BMC issued a statement which stated that the civic body has agreed to the demand presented by the trustees of the Dharavi mosque seeking four to five days to demolish the encroachments.

The trustees, according to the media statement issued by the civic body, requested the Deputy Commissioner of BMC, Circle 2 and Assistant Commissioner of North Zone. They assured that the encroachment of the mosque located at the 90 Feet road in Dharavi will be removed during this period.

The request made was accepted by the BMC; the civic administration directed trustees to remove the structure in the stipulated time.

Dharavi mosque demolition: Varsha Gaikwad met CM Shinde

Previously, Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad, in a social media post, stated that she had met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after a notice for demolition was sent. She, in a social media post, had said that she conveyed the sentiments of people. She was accompanied by MLA Amin Patel.

"Met CM Eknath Shinde ji today regarding BMC's demolition notice to Mahboob-e-Subania Masjid in Dharavi and conveyed the sentiments of the people. I had a positive conversation with the CM. He said he would speak to the authorities concerned and assured them that the demolition drive would be stopped," she wrote.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya has alleged that a letter was circulated on the letterhead of the Subhani Mosque appealing to locals to stop the municipal officials who were reaching the religious structure with the police to demolish it at 9 am on Saturday.

"Who has sent this letter, is there an attempt to provoke people? I have requested the Mumbai Police Commissioner to investigate the matter,' the former BJP lawmaker posted in a tweet.