A Muslim man walks his goat at a site that was allotted by the authorities for a new mosque, about 15 miles from the Hindu Ram Temple, in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
Credit: Reuters Photo.
More than a year after the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) allocated a 5-acre plot and approved the construction of the Dhannipur mosque in Ayodhya, the site remains unused, with domestic animals grazing on dry grass and hyacinth.
According to members of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), the delay in commencing construction is attributed to a lack of funds and a pending no-objection certificate. The mosque site, situated around 25 kilometers from the main city of Ayodhya, currently only features a signboard of the IICF, serving as a symbolic indication to start construction once all requirements are met.
While Ayodhya prepares for the much-anticipated consecration of the Ram temple on January 22, the Dhannipur mosque site awaits the necessary approvals and funds for construction. Sources from IICF suggested last December that construction might commence in May 2024, with the Trust planning to appoint state-wise representatives to collect donations for the project.
Athar Hussain, spokesperson for IICF, told Newslaundry, "The funds haven’t come in yet...even if we get clearance, we have to submit a big amount to the Ayodhya development authorities. It can only happen if we get funds. And only then will we be able to tell you when the mosque will be constructed."
BJP leader Haji Arafat Shaikh, purportedly the new chief of the mosque development committee, had announced plans for the mosque, stating that it will accommodate 9,000 worshippers, including space for 4,000 women to offer prayers. Additionally, plans include the development of a cancer hospital and a women's college. However, locals residing near the Dhannipur mosque site express skepticism, noting the lack of visible progress despite media attention and ongoing discussions.
A local who resided near the Dhannipur mosque site said, “The media comes each day. They ask questions and leave. Nothing is happening here. There has been talk of a mosque ever since the Supreme Court order. But is anything happening here? What do we tell you? We don’t have any hope.”
The Supreme Court, in November 2019, mandated the construction of a Ram temple at a disputed site in Ayodhya and directed the government to allocate five acres of land for the mosque's construction at a prominent location in the district.