Islamists gathered in Koyambedu, Chennai, to protest against the “demolition” of an illegally built Masjid-e-Hidaya mosque in that locality. Notably, the Supreme Court upheld the demolition of the illegal structure, ruling the construction on public land was illegal. This decision follows a prolonged legal battle involving the mosque located near Semathamman Nagar.

Case background

The controversy began in 2020 when local authorities banned the mosque’s construction, alleging it was being built without permission on land owned by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). The mosque was constructed despite the ban, leading to a legal challenge. In November last year, the Madras High Court ordered the mosque’s demolition, affirming it was built on encroached land.

Supreme Court ruling

In a ruling issued on February 26, 2024, the Supreme Court, with Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan presiding, deemed the construction unlawful. The court granted time until May 31, 2024, for the removal of the mosque. The bench noted that the construction proceeded in blatant disregard of notices served by the CMDA on December 9, 2020. The court emphasised that the petitioner, the Hydha Muslim Welfare Trust, had no legal right to occupy the land, regardless of whether the rightful owner, the government, used it.

The Supreme Court firmly stated that unauthorised constructions, whether temples or mosques, cannot be permitted. The court concluded that the Hydha Muslim Welfare Trust was not the owner of the land and had never applied for sanctioned building plans. The bench highlighted previous court directives aimed at preventing unauthorised religious structures on public land.

Protest and arrests

Following the Supreme Court’s deadline, the mosque’s management was given until June 15 to comply with the demolition order. On June 11, 2024, hundreds of Muslims gathered in front of the Koyambedu bus stand to protest against the demolition. An altercation ensued between the protesters and the police, resulting in the arrest of numerous demonstrators.

The protests started as Islamists in the locality came onto the streets shouting slogans like “Nara-e-takbeer, Allahu Akbar” and “Lailaha illala”. The protestors were not allowed to protest with posters. Despite a court ruling, the Islamists built the mosque and now do not want it demolished.

A mosque administrator contested the ruling, stating, “They say the land on which the mosque is located belongs to the bus stand. But there are 2,000 houses around the mosque. However, only the mosque is called an occupation. In particular, we have formally purchased this land for Rs 43 lakh and registered it. However, some anti-social elements who aim to create chaos in society have filed this case with the intention of removing the mosque. If the government wants, it can save this mosque from being demolished and give it to the people. Therefore, we request the Chief Minister to document this for us.”

Contrast this with the demolition of Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu – the authorities would do it overnight and have a police buildup in place to prevent any protest. No Hindu would raise their voice for a temple demolition, but if they touch a mosque, legally built or illegal, the community comes onto the streets in large numbers. This is something we Hindus must learn from them.

Additionally, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party leader Thol Thirumavalavan also spoke up against the “demolition” of the mosque. It is noteworthy that Thirumavalavan has spoken against Sanatana Dharma consistently and derogatorily about the RSS as well. Incidentally, he also participated in the Eradicate Sanatana Dharma conference which created much controversy last year.