BJP MP writes to Delhi LG, cites 54 cases of illegal mosques in West Delhi

In a fresh letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, BJP MP West Delhi Parvesh Varma has submitted a list of mosques which have been built illegally in his constituency.

In his letter, the BJP MP cited 54 instances of illegal mosques in West Delhi.

Parvesh Varma said he personally conducted surveys of graveyards and the land of Delhi Urban Shelter Development Board (DUSIB), Gram Sabha land, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and even the land under flood department of the Delhi government.

Parvesh Varma further stated that such land was meant for community centres, parks, dhalao ghars (concrete structures meant for the collection of garbage) and community toilets.

MP Parvesh Varma submitted a comprehensive list of his own survey naming areas such as Narela, Sultanpuri, Bawana, Mangolpuri and even areas that fall in South Delhi constituency of RK Puram and Rohini in the North Delhi zone.

Parvesh Varma further requested the Delhi LG to constitute a committee of district magistrates and heads of all the above mentioned departments to submit a status report by conducting their own survey in all constituencies of Delhi. He has requested the report be submitted in two months.

Earlier in June, the Delhi minority commission had taken cognisance of the BJP MP's letter and formed its own five-member fact finding team to survey the claims made by him.

The committee members alleged that Parvesh Varma was not willing to meet them. "Since he got a list and raised the concern, he should share the narrative with us. The committee has also written to the MP. It has been 10 days. Even Manoj Tiwari did not responded to our communications," Ovais Sultan, chairman of the fact finding committee under the Delhi minority commission, said.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari's office has said that they have not received any letter of correspondence in this regard.

Sources say that the team visited several places that are on the list. "There are mosques that are as old as 200 years, built in 1702. Historically, this area used to be Muslim dominated one before the partition. After the displacement, the population got mixed up."

The fact finding team is likely to submit its report next week.