New Delhi: The Delhi High
Court on Friday asked the Centre to come with a clear stand as to what
objection it has in fully re-opening the Nizamuddin Markaz, where the Tablighi
Jamaat congregation was held in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has
remained shut since then. The court sought to know from the Centre why it was
against reopening it fully daily when it was agreeable to open it during
festivals.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri asked
the counsel for the Centre to apprise the court as to what objection they have
in re-opening all the floors of the building when the authorities are agreeable
to open the first floor of the masjid for devotees to perform their prayers.
The court was hearing an application by the Delhi Waqf Board seeking to open
the mosque in view of Shab-e-Barat and Ramzan in March and April.
“If the first floor can be used for 'namaz'
then other floors can also be used for it. You (Centre's counsel) please take
instructions as to in case there is no objection to the opening of the first
floor, what objection may be there for the opening of the remaining portion,
dehors your submission that you have no objection as far as festivals are
concerned. Why can't it be opened every day,” the court said.
Last year, the court had
questioned the Centre as to how long it intended to keep the Nizamuddin Markaz
locked, saying it can't be “kept forever”. In its affidavit affirmed by the
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime, the Centre has told the court that it was
“necessary and incumbent” to “preserve” the Markaz property as the
investigation in the case registered for violation of the COVID19 protocols has
“cross borders implications and involves nation's diplomatic relationship with
other countries.”
On April 15, 2021, the court had allowed 50 people to offer namaz five times a day at Nizamuddin Markaz during Ramzan, saying there is no direction in the DDMA notification to close down places of worship.
(AGENCIES)
No comments:
Post a Comment