Gurugram: As namaz sites shrink, Waqf land may not hold answers

GURUGRAM: Following weeks of protests over namaz in the open that subsequently saw the number of designated sites reduced to almost half, members of the Muslim community have complained they do not enough space to offer Friday prayers.
According to Waqf Board land records, there are 22 identified mosque sites in the city. Three of them — at Sadar Bazar, Sector 57 and Pataudi Chowk — don’t fall under Waqf control but are functional and can accommodate 300 people. Apart from these, there are around five smaller mosques in rural areas that can accommodate 50-60 people each.
The 19 that are under Waqf control are either in a shambles or encroached. Most of the sites that are overrun by squatters are situated deep inside narrow labyrinths in congested areas like Jharsa, Wazirabad, Carterpuri and Badshapur, in places that are often difficult to locate.
“The issue is not just about a few people creating disruptions. It’s about the lack of space and areas designated to offer prayers. There’s no point in fighting over old mosques that are encroached as those areas are very congested and even if we get those, it won’t be enough. The Waqf Board has failed to establish sufficient religious sites for the community,” said Khurshid Rajaka of Muslim Rashtriya Manch.
The Waqf Board said it had raised the issue of encroachment in 2018 but no action was taken. It added that lack of space is an issue mainly in new Gurugram, not in the old city. “We request the government to provide us with land in new Gurugram that can be designated for religious activities. The administration can also consider asking factories in industrial areas like Udyog Vihar, Sector 37 and Manesar to create space in their premises for Muslim workers to offer namaz. This will largely solve the problem that we are seeing now,” said Haryana Waqf Board estate officer Jamaluddin.
At some of the Waqf board sites, locals said they had no knowledge about any mosque. There are two mosques in the Badshapur area, according to the Waqf Board. Both have been encroached. At Jharsa, there are two mosques, one of which is in a dilapidated state and its corridors have been encroached. A villager said: “There is no religious land in this area that belongs to Muslims.”
After the protests, some members of the Muslim community said they have decided not to offer prayers in the open. “I don’t want to get involved in any conflict and want to offer prayers peacefully. I used to go to Sector 49 earlier, but I’ve been told that the site has been closed now,” said Safi-uz-Zama (35), as he noted down the timings of namaz at a mosque in Sector 57.
Deputy commissioner Yash Garg said no complaint has been received yet from the Waqf Board. “In case they think their religious sites are encroached, they should approach us with the lists of those areas. We will provide all the support they need,” he added.
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