The City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO) recently demolished an illegal dargah near the Navi Mumbai International Airport, following assurances of action made in October. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, which had been among the first to call for action against the structure, has now shifted its focus on the illegal encroachments on the forts of Maharashtra.
On October 25, CIDCO announced that it would demolish all illegal structures near the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport after the Vidhan Sabha elections. However, the authority took swift action, demolishing the illegal structure the day following the polls.
The issue came to light after Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, a right-wing Hindu organisation, wrote to CIDCO in March 2023, urging the demolition of a dargah located on CIDCO’s land near the airport. The organisation alleged that the encroachment began with painting a few stones green and later expanded into a one-acre property, which included a compound, fountain, dome, water tanks, outhouse, guesthouse, and a parking lot.
After more than a year of inaction, the organisation once again wrote to CIDCO and held a meeting with the authority’s Chief Vigilance Officer and Navi Mumbai Police. It raised concerns that the illegal structure posed a significant security threat due to its proximity to the airport. Additionally, the Hindu IT Cell, another right-wing Hindu organisation, had filed a grievance with the Ministry of Home Affairs, urging the demolition of the structure.
On November 21, CIDCO demolished the dargah and other unauthorised structures illegally erected on its land. The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) hailed this as a victory after their persistent efforts and congratulated the government for taking action. Following the demolition, the organisation has now turned its attention to the encroachments on 35 forts across Maharashtra. HJS has announced plans to focus on removing encroachments from forts such as Vishalgad, Kulaba, Lohagad, Vandanagad, Shivdi, and others.
Sunil Ghanvat, the state coordinator of HJS, stated, “The removal of the unauthorised construction has strengthened the security of the Navi Mumbai International Airport area. Likewise, by clearing the encroachments on the state’s forts, we aim to preserve their sanctity and cultural heritage.”
Yogesh Chile, a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader from Panvel, remarked, “I raised the issue of the dargah with CIDCO nearly two years ago. The individual named Gafoor, who was running the dargah, had taken the matter to court but failed to prove ownership of the land and recently lost the case. We had concerns that the location was being used by some individuals for drug consumption at night. CIDCO had assured us that the dargah would be demolished after the elections to avoid any religious controversy. On November 20 night, CIDCO, with police assistance, carried out the demolition.”
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