Authorities have issued a notice to vacate a historic mosque—estimated to be 125 to 150 years old—located on Lok Kalyan Marg (formerly Race Course Road) in Delhi within 6 days, and have also disconnected its electricity and water supply.

दिल्ली: रेस कोर्स स्थित करीब 150 साल पुरानी ऐतिहासिक मस्जिद भी तोड़ी जाएगी, बिजली-पानी काटा

A controversy has erupted over the historic ‘Race Course Mosque’ in the national capital, Delhi. A notice has been issued to vacate the mosque within six days. Located on Lok Kalyan Marg—near the Prime Minister’s residence—this historic mosque is approximately 125 to 130 years old and is registered as a property of the Delhi Waqf Board. It has been a notified Waqf property since 1977 and is also listed as a heritage site. Despite this, an order to vacate the premises has been issued. The issuance of this notice has drawn reactions from several political leaders.

A delegation from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind met with Kiren Rijiju and submitted a memorandum, calling for urgent intervention to protect the mosque and the graveyard situated behind the Safdarjung Tomb.

Owaisi appeals to the Minority Affairs Minister for intervention…

On Tuesday, AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi urged Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju to intervene in the matter concerning Delhi’s Race Course Mosque. In a social media post, Owaisi stated that the situation requires Rijiju’s immediate intervention.

The AIMIM chief remarked, “The Waqf Amendment Act also provides protection to the mosque, as it qualifies as a ‘Waqf by use.’ Since the Delhi Waqf Board has not been constituted since 2023, it is the Minister’s responsibility to resolve this issue. The Board’s CEO could have intervened as well, but that has not happened.”

In an earlier post, Owaisi had strongly condemned attempts to demolish the historic ‘Hujra Kuan’ mosque located near the Race Course area. He pointed out that people are being prevented from offering prayers at the mosque, even though it is explicitly mentioned in the 1977 gazette notification. The caretaker has been threatened with the demolition of the mosque, even though no formal notice has been issued in this regard.

‘Why are Muslim places of worship being targeted?’

Raising the issue, Asaduddin Owaisi asked, “Why are Muslim places of worship being targeted? Our apprehensions regarding the misuse of the Waqf (Amendment) Act and the Places of Worship Act appear to be coming true. The government must withdraw these unlawful threats and clarify that no such action will be taken against the mosque.”

Mohammad Haroon, who has been associated with the mosque for nearly 40 years, stated in a video that has gone viral on social media that officials have ordered him to vacate the premises within six days. The mosque’s electricity and water supplies have been cut off, and the Land and Development Office (L&DO) has locked all the gates.

‘The anti-Muslim hostility of the BJP and RSS…’

Congress leader Rashid Alvi remarked, “The current government might well claim that every mosque in India is built on government land. They have no agenda other than the temple-mosque issue. There is not a single Muslim minister in the government. The anti-Muslim hostility of the BJP and the RSS keeps surfacing time and again.”

‘Places of worship for Muslims…’

Kashmiri religious leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has expressed concern over this decision. In a social media post, he stated, “It is deeply concerning that a notice has been issued to vacate Delhi’s historic ‘Race Course Mosque’ within six days. Equally worrying is the fact that Waqf officials have failed to defend it. Is this becoming the new norm for Muslim places of worship?” They wrote, “It is for these very reasons that we strongly opposed the amendments to the Waqf Act and the move to increase government control over Muslim religious properties through the appointment of government representatives. If even a legally recognized mosque cannot be protected, then what safeguards remain for other sites?”

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