Divide Over Demolition of Heritage Mosque in Kolkata

A 70-year-old mosque, listed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation as a heritage building, is being pulled down to make a bigger one and conservationists and some locals are extremely upset that the authorities have not stepped in to stop the demolition.

The demolition began on March 21 and much of the Gholam Rasool Mosque on Shamshul Huda Road is rubble now, the minarets fallen.

"The masjid could only fit 400 people. The others had to do namaz on the road, causing difficulties to people. Since we had adjoining land, we decided to build a mosque where 8,000 people could pray together," said Amiruddin Ahmed, spokesperson for Ayesha Khatoon Masjid Welfare Committee, which is in charge of the mosque.

Mr Ahmed says the committee is not aware that the mosque it is pulling down is a heritage building. "We have recently been told by the local police that there were complaints because this mosque was a heritage building," he said, adding, "But it is not heritage category. It is not renowned, not made by Mahatma or Netaji or Shahi Imam. This is an ordinary masjid. There is no question of heritage."

But Abdul Majid, who lives in the area, points out that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's website lists the mosque as a grade 1 heritage building. "This is an old masjid and beautiful. When I suddenly saw it being demolished, I felt bad. There was a board that said it was a heritage site. It was removed," he alleged.

Akilur Rehman, who was once associated with the Ayesha Khatoon Committee but has now fallen out, said he has run from pillar to post to preserve the mosque. "We ran to the corporation, wrote to the Waqf board, RTI, police, but we got no help. The heritage board was pulled down on December 10, 2012 and we reported to the thana. Then a stone plaque was put, that was also broken. We wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. But we couldn't save this masjid. We are sorry," he said.

Conservationist GM Kapur of INTACH said the committee could have had the mosque delisted and then demolished it if there was a compulsion to do so.

There is silence from the authorities, though Kolkata's mayor has promised a statement soon.