Chhattisgarh: Karbala committee erected mosque & shops on land worth crores grabbed for Dargah; administration inactive

In a startling revelation from Durg-Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, plans to seize government land for the construction of a mosque have come to light. It has been uncovered that the encroachment extends beyond the land designated for the mosque, with surrounding properties now subject to rent collection.

This concerning incident was recently reported by Dainik Bhaskar in an exclusive report. What adds to the astonishment is that the very municipal corporation responsible for reclaiming government land has itself fallen victim to land encroachment.

According to Bhaskar, the entire matter revolves around the jurisdiction of the Bhilai zone office. Here, land worth millions has allegedly been encroached upon to build a mosque adjacent to a dargah (shrine). Following this, shops have been erected on both sides of the road surrounding the mosque and dargah. Notably, large-scale commercial activities are reportedly taking place under the guise of religious activities.

The unauthorised encroachments have prompted a complaint from BJP leader S.K. Mobin, also known as Babar. He has formally registered his grievance with the Durg district collector, former Legislative Assembly president Prem Prakash Pandey, and Vaishali Nagar legislator Rikesh Sen.

In his complaint, Babar asserts that members of the Muslim community have unlawfully occupied valuable land near Saelani Baba’s dargah, located on Supela-Bhilai GE Road.

The issue has sparked concerns about the misuse of government land and unauthorised commercialisation under the pretext of religious activities. Babar, in his complaint, urges prompt action against these alleged encroachments.

Babar has levelled grave accusations against Gulam Sailani, the president of the Karbala Committee in Bhilai, alleging that he has unlawfully seized valuable land adjacent to the dargah, constructing shops and collecting rent from the premises. This not only causes financial loss to the Municipal Corporation but also raises concerns about unauthorised land occupation and its commercial exploitation.

According to Babar, the dargah has been in existence for a long time, but additional construction activities, seizing government land, have taken place more recently. In light of this, he emphasises the urgent need to liberate government land, excluding the dargah, and take stringent action against those involved in land encroachment.

Reports indicate that both sides of the zone office have also fallen prey to illegal seizures. Individuals associated with the Karbala Committee have allegedly seized land towards Supela, while others have taken possession of significant land around the mosque and dargah. In response to these complaints, Zone Commissioner Amitabh Sharma stated that notices have been issued to individuals twice. He has also communicated the issue to the Building Permission Officer.

However, an official remarked that, due to political pressures, no concrete action has been taken so far. The situation remains complex, and it underscores the challenges associated with addressing the issue amid political influences.

In this matter, there is also a statement from Gulam Sailani, the president of the Karbala Committee. Gulam Sailani claims that the Muslim community has had possession of that land since 1957. A case related to this claim is also ongoing. The land in question spans 78 dismil, as documented. They have responded to the notices from the Municipal Corporation.