With Rani Sipri being a protected monument, the court has directed ASI to include Siraji Saiyed in the list as well
The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday ordered the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) not to demolish the two mosques, Rani Sipri Masjid and Siraji Saiyed Masjid, or their boundary walls till the final disposal of the case.
A division bench of the higher court comprising acting chief justice M S Shah and D H Waghela directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to include Siraji Saiyed mosque in the list of protected monuments.
Both the mosques are over 400 years old and were built during the same era. Rani Sipri mosque is already a protected monument. The two are located opposite each other near the Astodia Darwaza.
The bench asked the petitioner, Sunni Awami Forum, to approach the Central Government within a period of one month for including Siraji Saiyed mosque in the list of protected monuments. The Centre has been given four months time to consider the application.
The forum had moved the high court after the AMC planned to demolish parts of the two mosques including two minarets, under a road widening programme. AMC had also marked the buildings from where demolition was to begin, and this had created tension among the local Muslim population.
On April 2, 2007, the high court had issued a stay order on the AMC move. The court also clarified that the stay order would not apply to commercial establishments.
However, the court made it clear that any demolition work would require the permission of the ASI Superintendent.
Courtesy : www.expressindia.com
The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday ordered the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) not to demolish the two mosques, Rani Sipri Masjid and Siraji Saiyed Masjid, or their boundary walls till the final disposal of the case.
A division bench of the higher court comprising acting chief justice M S Shah and D H Waghela directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to include Siraji Saiyed mosque in the list of protected monuments.
Both the mosques are over 400 years old and were built during the same era. Rani Sipri mosque is already a protected monument. The two are located opposite each other near the Astodia Darwaza.
The bench asked the petitioner, Sunni Awami Forum, to approach the Central Government within a period of one month for including Siraji Saiyed mosque in the list of protected monuments. The Centre has been given four months time to consider the application.
The forum had moved the high court after the AMC planned to demolish parts of the two mosques including two minarets, under a road widening programme. AMC had also marked the buildings from where demolition was to begin, and this had created tension among the local Muslim population.
On April 2, 2007, the high court had issued a stay order on the AMC move. The court also clarified that the stay order would not apply to commercial establishments.
However, the court made it clear that any demolition work would require the permission of the ASI Superintendent.
Courtesy : www.expressindia.com