The 800-year-old Jumma Masjid has had a ban placed on it after a complaint was filed that it is an illegal masjid Photo Times Of India
India – In recent years, India has witnessed a disheartening rise in Islamophobic attacks, targeting Muslim individuals and institutions. One such alarming incident involves a ban on an 800-year-old masjid in Maharashtra, India. The district collector has issued an interim restraining order to ban prayers at this historic mosque.
The masjid in question is called Jumma Masjid, located in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. It holds immense historical value, with records dating back 800 years. The mosque is a registered institution under the government’s Waqf Board, which administers religious properties across India, explained Shaik Zakeer Hussain, Editor at The Cognate based in India. For decades, prayers have been offered at this mosque, attracting a regular congregation and has been well documented. However, the centuries-old mosque has suddenly become a site of controversy because of a complaint filed by an unregistered Hindu organisation called Pandavwada Sangharsh Samiti.
“An unknown organisation called the Pandavwada Sangharsh Samitt, which is a right-wing in the Hindutva organisation, started claiming that the masjid was built over a Hindu place of worship. They said that the masjid itself, the structure of the masjid, looks like a Hindu temple and they claim that it’s an illegal masjid. They went to the collective of Jalgaon asking for a ban on prayers in the masjid.”
The ban on prayers in Jumma Masjid
Due to these claims, the collector issued an order under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, immediately banning prayers on the premises and also directed police deployment in the area. Furthermore, the tahsildar (revenue officer) has been asked to take charge of the masjid. The issue was ordered despite the Archaeological Survey of India, a reputable body, supporting the mosque’s historical significance and verifying the continuity of prayers since at least 1986.
“The collector has described the masjid as disputed … So, despite all these things, despite people knowing that prayers have been offered [since 1986] and despite no evidence that this was at any point of time a temple, they have gone ahead and placed a restraining order on the masjid and the prayer services there.”
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Escalating Islamophobia in India
The case of the Juma Masjid is not an isolated incident but part of a wider trend of increasing Islamophobia in India. Islamophobic attacks have become alarmingly frequent, and their scope extends beyond mosque restrictions. Incidents such as the arrest of an Imam for offering prayers on a street and the prohibition of congregational prayers inside private homes have occurred. Even previously unheard-of restrictions, like banning prayers at railway stations and airports, are being imposed, said Sheik Hussain.
“There have been multiple masjids where Hindu organisations have led claims saying that these masjids were once temples and these need to be destroyed and the site needs to be given back to the Hindus. There is a fear that this might turn out to be another such case. So far, the Masjid committee has filed a case with the high court in the state and they are hoping for a favourable outcome.”
Targeting Muslims, Jumma Masjid and criminalising the religion
The plight faced by Muslims in India goes beyond individual incidents. The current situation can be characterised by the criminalization of the Islamic faith itself. Muslims are being targeted for practising their religion, with instances of arrests on fake charges of terrorism or illegal activities becoming more common. Islamophobic sentiments are not only emerging from non-governmental entities but also being propagated by representatives of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party.
“A couple of years ago, the fear that people had was getting arrested on fake charges of terrorism, fake charges of illegal activities but now the entire religion itself is being criminalised. You wouldn’t hear about these incidents of people getting arrested just for offering prayers, but this is something that’s happening in the country.”
According to Sheik Hussain, in Assam, which is ruled by the BJP, the chief minister blamed the rise of prices of vegetables on Muslims. This is why there is a tense relationship between Muslims and other communities as even government officials are pushing Islamophobic narratives.
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BJP’s role and ideology
To understand the origins of this rising Islamophobia, it is necessary to delve into the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP. The RSS considers Muslims and other minority communities as a threat to Indian culture and civilization. What is interesting to find out is that the man who filed the claim against Juma Musjid, Prasad Madhusudan Dandawate, is a member of the RSS.
This ideology has led to the marginalisation and vilification of Muslims in India. Propaganda has been disseminated, claiming that many mosques were constructed upon destroyed Hindu temples. This rhetoric has permeated society, contributing to deep-rooted hatred against Muslims.
While tensions between Hindus and Muslims have existed in India, it is essential to note that the current wave of Islamophobia is distinct. Earlier instances of violence or riots were not an official policy of the Indian National Congress party, which previously held power in India. In contrast, the BJP has been accused of deliberately stoking communal violence through its affiliated organisations.
“Many policies [of the BJP] are anti-Muslim. The BJP is calling for the Uniform Civil Code now which would basically mean that Muslims would not be able to marry or divorce or adopt kids or many other personal things which they can do today, according to Islamic Sharia. They would have to comply with one civil code which would be implemented, and every community has to adhere to. This was not the same with the Congress. They didn’t have such policies; they did not have these kinds of incidents, but tensions have always been there.”
The disturbing trend of Islamophobic attacks in India demands immediate attention and intervention. Muslims in India face a growing sense of fear and insecurity due to the criminalization of their religion and the increasing hostility they encounter. It is crucial for the international community and Indian society to address these issues, promote religious tolerance, and safeguard the rights and safety of all citizens. Only through collective efforts can we hope to counter and eradicate the troubling rise of Islamophobia in India.
Shaik Zakeer Hussain spoke to Julie Alli about the situation in Kashmir, the people’s desire for autonomy and the policies of the BJP that impact it. Listen to that discussion here:
