Mosque demolition: Contempt plea filed against Dikshit
By IANSSaturday, January 15, 2011
NEW DELHI - People from a south Delhi neighbourhood Saturday moved the Delhi High Court seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari for allegedly instigating people to offer prayers at the site of a razed illegal mosque.
Prayers were offered on government land repossessed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) after razing the illegal mosque, said the application filed by the resident welfare association (RWA) of Jangpura through counsel R.K. Saini
The RWA also sought initiation of contempt proceedings against Shoaib Iqbal, legislator from Matia Mahal constituency, and Asif Mohammad Khan, legislator from Okhla constituency.
The association wanted the court to “suo moto initiate criminal contempt proceedings against… for deliberately and willfully violating the orders of the court”.
The RWA also accused the chief minister and others of allegedly “scandalising and lowering the authority of the court, interfering with the due course of judicial process, interfering and obstructing the administration of justice and bringing in disrepute the honour, majesty and authority of the law and the courts”.
According to the RWA, the religious structure was built “illegally” on DDA land which was earmarked for construction of a community centre.
Acting on the high court order, the mosque was demolished by the housing body on Wednesday leading to tension in the locality and the police had to use batons to disperse protesters who wanted to offer prayers at the site that day, the application said.
Seeking dropping of contempt proceedings against it in the high court, the DDA Friday filed a compliance report saying it had demolished the illegal religious structure.
The court took the report on record and deferred the hearing on the matter to March 1, a representative of the RWA said.
However, prayers were offered there and the site is now being occupied continuously by about 100 persons at the instance of chief minister, the Shahi Imam and other local politicians, which amounts to interference in administration of justice, the RWA alleged.
The contempt application is likely to be heard Monday.
