BMC drops plan to raze illegal portion of Dharavi mosque after protest

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's drive to demolish the alleged illegal section of a mosque in Dharavi, which is considered Asia's largest slum, has been cancelled after huge numbers of locals gathered on the streets..

Speaking on the case, Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad said, "Action scheduled for today has been cancelled. We met the Chief Minister last night. We had urged him for this. Everyone kept forth their views here peacefully. It has been cancelled and everyone has gone home. I appeal to the people to maintain peace."

Deputy commissioner of police, Zone 5, Mumbai, Tejaswi Satpute, said that the environment is peaceful in Dharavi.

"A huge crowd had gathered in Dharavi on 90-foot road and after they were requested, they left the area. The environment is peaceful in Dharavi. There are a lot of messages that are misleading on social media. I appeal to everyone not to trust any such messages," she said.

According to the BMC, it had issued a notice to the concerned to remove the construction of the encroached mosque on the 90-foot road in Dharavi.

"Also action was taken according to this notice. However, the BMC administration should give a deadline of 4-5 days to remove the encroached construction from the said place. The trustees of the mosque have submitted a written request to the Deputy Commissioner of Circle 2 of the BMC and the assistant commissioner of G North Division that the construction will be removed on its own during this period. The BMC has accepted the request after the concerned have written a request to remove the construction on their own. It is clarified by the municipal administration that the trustees have also been instructed to remove the encroached construction within the stipulated time," it said.

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that there is a court decision in this regard.

"The decision talks about demolishing unauthorised construction. BMC had also started action a few days ago. At that time, it was requested that this unauthorized construction be removed after Eid. Even today, when the BMC team went there, they said that they would remove the encroachment in the next four to five days, so the team has returned. In any situation, it will not be right if someone creates a law and order situation and creates an obstacle. I am sure that they will do the same as they have written to BMC," he said.

Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Aditya Thackeray said, "These people are planning to start a Hindu Muslim riot, there is a plan to divide Hindus and Muslims. This has never happened in our government, they are talking in terms of caste and religion and their children are running ICC and BCCI, they are abroad."