Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday criticised the Centre over an eviction notice issued to the 120-year-old Race Course Mosque near the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi, accusing the government of disregarding the religious sentiments of India’s Muslim community.
The controversy follows an eviction notice served on the mosque’s management, which has reportedly also seen its water and electricity supplies disconnected.
In a post on X, Mufti questioned what she described as a contradiction between the government’s appreciation of mosques in Muslim countries and its treatment of a historic mosque in the national capital.
“Visiting mosques in Muslim countries, praising their grandeur and projecting respect for Islamic sentiments and heritage. Yet at home, a 120 year old heritage mosque near the Prime Minister’s residence faces an eviction notice threatening its very existence,” she wrote.
“This glaring contradiction between admiration for mosques abroad and blatant disregard for the religious sentiments of India’s own Muslim community is mind boggling, to say the least,” she added.
Mosque Management Given Six Days to Vacate
According to officials, the mosque management received the eviction notice around October 19 and was given six days to vacate the premises.
The notice identifies the land as belonging to the Land and Development Office (LDO), which functions under the Union government. It also warns against unauthorised occupation and construction on the property.
The LDO maintains that the mosque stands on government land and constitutes an encroachment. The eviction notice is based on the department’s position regarding the ownership and use of the land.
The mosque’s reported age of around 120 years has become a central part of the controversy, with Mufti describing it as a heritage structure whose existence is now under threat.
The disconnection of water and electricity supplies has added to concerns surrounding the action against the mosque.
Mehbooba Questions Government’s Approach to Muslim Heritage
Mufti’s criticism focused on what she sees as a difference between the government’s public expressions of respect for Islamic heritage abroad and its actions towards Muslim places of worship in India.
She argued that the eviction notice raises questions about the government’s regard for the religious sentiments of Indian Muslims.
The dispute comes amid wider debates over the protection of religious structures, government land and the rights of religious institutions facing eviction proceedings.
While the LDO maintains that the mosque occupies government land without authorisation, Mufti has questioned the implications of the action for the Muslim community and the preservation of the historic structure.
