Amid the large-scale preparations for the ‘pran pratishtha‘ (consecration) of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), tasked with building a proposed mosque in Dhannipur village, has said it will now adopt a different path for the construction.
In the landmark Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case in 2019, the Supreme Court, while giving orders for the construction of Ram Temple, ordered five acres of land to be allocated for building a mosque in Dhannipur.
But due to a lack of funds and administrative delays, the work on building a mosque in Dhannipur has not yet started. In such a situation, IICF has said that it will now start a campaign like Ram Temple for the construction of the mosque.
Haji Arafat Shaikh, the new head of the mosque development committee appointed in November last year, came forward to steer the development of the new mosque. Shaikh is a BJP leader from Maharashtra.
Zafar Ahmed Farooq, the president of IICF, said a trust was formed to take forward the construction work of the mosque in Ayodhya. But Shaikh objected to a proposal to name the mosque Masjid-e-Ayodhya and changed it to Mohammad Bin Abdullah mosque.
FEATURES OF THE NEW MOSQUE
The plan, made for an area of 4,500 square metres, included space for a hospital, a community kitchen, a library and a research centre along with the mosque. It is believed that the foundation intends to build India’s largest mosque “which will be even better than the Taj Mahal”.
Apart from this, “the world’s largest Quran will be kept in the mosque, which will be about 21 feet”. The mosque will also be India’s first mosque with five minarets. Arrangements are also being made to organise a water and light show at the time of ‘azaan‘.
The lighting arrangements in the mosque will be made in such a way that the lights will be switched on automatically in the evening and go off in the morning. A huge aquarium will be installed in the mosque for the people, which will be like Dubai’s aquarium.
The mosque premises will also have amenities for locals, including a medical college, a cancer hospital and a community centre.
In February 2020, five acres of land were given to build a mosque in Dhannipur, 25 kilometres from the centre of Ayodhya. In its order in November 2019, the Supreme Court cleared the way for building the Ram Temple on the site of the 16th-century Babri Masjid.
Due to the non-approval of the map and changes in the mosque design, the work could not be started. However, it is expected that the committee could begin the construction from May onwards.
The trust formed by the IICF will create a website (which will be launched in February or March this year) where people can donate money through a QR code for the construction of the mosque. It is expected that the fund-raising campaign will further push the mosque construction project in Dhannipur.
‘RISE IN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES’
On the other hand, there is hope among the people of Dhannipur that new employment opportunities will arise after the construction of the mosque.
Speaking to India Today TV, local expert Shorab Sonawal said that before building the mosque, the map was first approved for which the committee could not pay the fee.
“After that, the map was changed and people were demanding that the shape of this mosque should also be changed. Now, with the new design, it is expected that the work will start within a few months after the consecration of the Ram Temple,” he said.
A sweet shopkeeper said there was a lack of good employment opportunities but expressed hope that jobs will increase after the mosque is constructed and opened to the public. He said Dhannipur village has the possibility of becoming a huge tourist hub after the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
A local said Hindus and Muslims have been peacefully living together in Dhannipur and there was no tension after the Supreme Court verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case.
“There is a need to take forward the progress of Dhannipur and the mosque. Ayodhya has been an important issue for India and the tensions between the communities have already ended. We will ensure that Ayodhya becomes the best example of India’s Ganga-Jamuni culture,” he said.
On the other hand, property rates in Dhannipur and adjoining areas have gone up by six to eight times. A resident said the prices earlier were Rs 100-500 square feet, which has gone up to Rs 3,500-4,000 square feet.