In North-East Delhi’s Seelampur area, fresh tensions have flared following the alleged murder of a Hindu youth, bringing the spotlight back on a long-standing and sensitive issue, the expansion of the Al-Mateen Mosque located in Brahmpuri’s lane number 12.
The local Hindu community has been opposing the expansion, claiming that the mosque was originally built through fraudulent means and that the present expansion plan is part of a larger, well-orchestrated conspiracy. Particularly alarming to the locals is the proposed opening of a new mosque gate directly facing a Shiva temple that has existed since 1984.
As reported by OpIndia, fear and resentment among Hindus have been mounting, with claims that black money and foreign funds are being used to facilitate the mosque’s expansion.
Locals have alleged that the expansion is not merely for religious purposes but part of a broader strategy to alter the demography of the area and suppress the Hindu community.
Protests and allegations of collusion between MCD, police, and Mosque committee
Tensions reached a flashpoint when construction activity at the mosque resumed. When Hindus sought police intervention to halt the construction, they were met with apathy. Allegedly, Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba informed them that since the mosque committee had already spent Rs 2 crore, the construction could not be stopped.
The controversy surrounding the mosque’s expansion has been simmering since 2023.
Initially, after Hindu residents’ complaints, the police halted the work. However, the mosque committee managed to obtain permission from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on November 23, 2024. When work resumed in February 2025, new complaints prompted an investigation revealing that the sanctioned building map was passed incorrectly.
Consequently, MCD issued a stop-work notice to the mosque committee.
Despite the official ban, a follow-up report dated April 25, 2025, revealed that construction continued unabated. Hindus, frustrated by administrative inaction, protested, but instead of halting illegal work, police detained two Hindu protesters, although they were released the next day.
Fear and frustration among Hindus: ‘We are being forced to leave’
In response to the administration’s perceived bias, Hindus in lane number 13 displayed posters outside their homes, stating: “An illegal mosque is being constructed at house number L-11, lane number 12, Brahmpuri, with the collusion of senior police officers. Upon calling helpline number 112, the police are instead arresting us. Now we are sitting in front of our houses and protesting. The police may shoot us or arrest us by filing false cases. The police and the MCD are forcing us to sell our houses.”
Speaking to media, a local resident named Gautam expressed anger at the systemic failure, saying, “MCD first passed the wrong map, now it is trying to suppress the matter by putting up a board. All this is happening due to pressure from above.”
Mosque committee’s confidence in administrative support
Earlier, the Naib Imam (Deputy Imam) of the Al-Mateen Mosque, Saddam Hussain, had openly expressed confidence that, “After the dispute cools down, the administration itself will help in building the mosque.”
This assertion was echoed by several local Muslims during media ground visits. In a report dated, April 25, the fears of Hindus appeared validated, with the administration seemingly allowing construction despite formal bans.
Saddam Hussain further added, “We are confident that the construction work will definitely be completed after the matter cools down.”
Some Muslims, speaking to OpIndia off record, stated that they were merely waiting for the “right time” to resume full-fledged construction work, highlighting the undercurrents of tension that continue to simmer.
Origin of the Al-Mateen Mosque controversy
The Al-Mateen Mosque’s story dates back to 2013. According to local resident Pandit Shankar Lal Gautam, “In 2013, some Muslim individuals purchased a flat in Gali No. 13. Initially, namaaz (prayers) began there, which no one objected to. But gradually, the flat was converted into a full-fledged four-storey mosque.”
Gautam emphasised that it was a deliberate strategy aimed at strengthening a particular community’s presence in the area. After the 2020 Delhi riots, the community’s concerns deepened, particularly because the Al-Mateen Mosque allegedly played a direct role in escalating the violence.
Al-Mateen Mosque’s role in 2020 Delhi Riots
The February 2020 riots, which left 53 dead across North-East Delhi, were particularly traumatic for Brahmpuri residents. Gautam recalled: “On February 25, bullets were fired from the Al-Mateen Mosque. A false rumor was spread that the mosque had been set ablaze. Suddenly, thousands gathered, and violence broke out. Three Hindu boys in Gali No. 13 were injured by gunfire.”
This incident planted a deep sense of mistrust among the local Hindu population. Many families left the area post-riots, and those who stayed now view any expansion of the mosque with extreme suspicion.
Planned Expansion: Fear of history repeating
Following the riots, efforts to expand the mosque gained momentum. In 2023, the mosque committee purchased two adjacent plots, each measuring 75 square yards, previously owned by Hindu families. These plots were demolished, and construction of a new mosque segment began.
The critical concern for Hindus, as reported, is the planned opening of a new mosque gate directly opposite the Shiva temple. Locals fear daily confrontations and potential communal clashes, especially during religious festivals like Holi.
Gautam, said:”If the mosque becomes twice as big, then imagine how many people will gather here. This is a warning bell for us.”
Posters of “House for Sale” and the demographic shift
In a visible mark of protest, around 25-30 out of 60 Hindu families in lane number 12 have put up “House for Sale” posters outside their homes. Local residents, speaking to media, admitted that memories of the 2020 riots, combined with the mosque expansion, have rekindled their fears.
One resident, Dinesh Sharma (name changed), said: “The atmosphere changed after the 2020 riots. Now, seeing the mosque expansion, it seems history will repeat itself.”
Meanwhile, the mosque committee claims the sales are voluntary, with Saddam Hussain stating, “We are paying good money; people are selling willingly.”
However, Hindus insist it is fear, not money, that is driving the exodus.
Conflicting claims over ‘Community Center’ narrative
In an attempt to pacify growing unrest, the mosque committee later claimed that the construction was intended for a “community center” focused on children’s education and health services. But local Hindus, speaking to media, rejected these claims outright.
Gautam told, “First they said it’s a mosque; now, after opposition, they changed the story. This is nothing but a cover-up.”
Even some local Muslims, interviewed by media, admitted off record that the real intention was to expand the mosque, not build a community center.
The Al-Mateen Mosque controversy is not merely about the construction of a religious structure, it is a symbol of deeper communal distrust, trauma from the 2020 riots, fears of demographic changes, and allegations of administrative bias. As the situation in Brahmpuri continues to remain tense, the local Hindu population fears that without timely intervention, history might tragically repeat itself.
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