The expansion of the Al-Matin Mosque in Delhi’s Brahmpuri area has been put on hold following objections from local Hindu residents, despite receiving prior approval from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The mosque, located in Seelampur’s assembly constituency, had planned an extension to address overcrowding, especially during Friday prayers and Ramadan. The mosque management had lawfully acquired a 150-square-yard plot from Kuldeep Sharma to facilitate this expansion.
Before starting the project, the mosque committee secured MCD’s approval. However, concerns arose when Shankar Lal Gautam, a local resident, objected to the construction. His initial concern was about a new gate opening onto Street No. 12, where a Hindu temple is situated just meters away. The mosque committee addressed this by assuring that no gate would face the street.
Despite this compromise, Gautam and other residents later opposed the mosque’s expansion altogether. Some Hindu residents displayed “House for Sale” signs outside their homes, claiming discomfort with the mosque’s extended structure.
The dispute escalated with complaints filed to both the MCD and the police. Several rounds of talks between the two communities, facilitated by law enforcement, failed to resolve the issue.
To prevent further tension, police increased patrols in the area. Meanwhile, the MCD issued a show-cause notice to the Al-Matin Society, halting the construction.
Local resident Safdar Ali explained that the mosque was originally built 12 years ago after Bhushan Sharma sold his house, and the new owner established the mosque in his memory. With the growing population, the mosque management purchased the adjacent plot to expand the prayer space.
Ali emphasized that the mosque committee upheld its promise not to open a new gate onto Street No. 12. Despite this, tensions flared when the opposing group shifted their stance, reportedly influenced by pressure from radical elements.
Shankar Lal Gautam defended his concerns, saying, “Our objection is not just about the gate but also the potential for communal tension near the Shiv temple during festivals. The MCD had approved house construction in that area, not an expanded mosque.”
Police Deputy Commissioner (North-East) Ashish Kumar Mishra confirmed that MCD’s show-cause notice had paused the mosque’s expansion work. To maintain order, security forces continue to patrol the area.
