‘Namaz Offered Here Since Pre-Independence’: Muslim Groups Oppose Govt’s Move To Take Back Mosque Land In Udupi

Days after MLA Raghupati Bhat said that the revenue department decided to take back the government land allocated to Kalmath Mosque of Kodavoor district in Udupi, Muslim groups – Justice for Kalmath Masjid Vedike and District Muslim Okkoota opposed the move, calling it “illegal”.  

The order for withdrawal of the land was given by Revenue Minister R Ashok on 25 June. 

District Muslim Okkoota accused the revenue minister of “illegally ordering the withdrawal of government land given to Kalmath Mosque even when the name is lawfully registered in the RTC of Kalmath mosque situated in Kodavoor village of the taluk.”

Justice for Kalmath Masjid Vedike stated that the government’s name has been “illegally entered in the land records of Kodavoor Kalmath Pallikettu masjid and thereby denying the rights of minorities.”

Anti-NRC campaigner Shashidhar Hemmady said that the mosque land was registered with the Wakf Board in 1993 and that a gazetted notification was issued on the basis of legal documents. 

“The government is taking the land in its custody and denying prayers that were conducted in it is something that is condemnable. The communal elements are hurting religious sentiments. The government should intervene and immediately take action against deputy commissioner G Jagadeesh,” he said.

The DC had accepted appeals filed by locals who claimed that the property was allegedly “encroached by the Muslim community” and sent an appeal to the Wakf and Hajj department. According to reports, the Revenue Minister had issued the order, based on this appeal.

The Wakf board, in its interim verdict, had authenticated that the Wakf property registered in 1993 in Karnataka Wakf Board is legal.

Usman Saheb, president of the Kalmath administrative committee said that the mosque was built during the time of Tipu Sultan. “From 1908, the government was giving Tasdeeq. Even now the Tasdeeq is given once in four months. This building is recognised by the government also. This mosque was closed for some years. In 1993, the land was surveyed and survey number 53/6 was given to this 67-cent land,” he said. 

Hussain Kodibengre, president of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights said, “Namaz is being offered in this mosque since pre-independence. More than 10 acres of land around the mosque is mentioned as government property based on Adangal. This whole property belongs to the mosque. As evidence of the same, the mosque was situated right at the centre of the land.”

Ibrahim Saheb Kota, president of district Muslim Okkoota, Mohammed Maula, chief secretary, Abdul Rehman Kalkatta, secretary of Sunny United Jamaat, Mohammed Rafiq Gangolli, president of Karnataka Muslim Jamaat, Nazeer Ahmed, president of PFI, Idris Hoode and Maulana Abdul Latif Madani have requested to government to withdraw the order.