By Admin 
The dispute over the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque and the adjacent land located near Delhi’s historic Turkman Gate is not just a case of local encroachment. This case became a confluence of government land, Waqf claims, historical records and judicial process.
This matter started when an organization called Save India Foundation complained to the government. The complaint said that the government land at Ramlila Ground at Turkman Gate is under illegal occupation and is being used as a wedding/wedding venue, parking and a clinic and diagnostic centre.
Question 1: What did the government do after receiving the complaint?
Taking cognizance of the complaint, Land and Development Office (L&DO), Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) jointly conducted a joint survey. The survey revealed that 2,512 square feet area has been encroached upon. The government land of Ramlila Ground is occupied by 36,428 square feet. Marriage procession, parking and private medical center were found operating here.
Question 2: How was this land proved to be government land?
The government examined the records from 1952 to 1972. DDA and L&DO clarified that the land belongs to the Government of India. The land is registered in the records of L&DO. During investigation, no transfer/allotment was found registered in the name of Waqf Board. After the government survey and results, Save India Foundation filed a petition in the Delhi High Court.
Question 3: What order did the Delhi High Court give?
On this matter, the High Court directed that the illegal encroachment should be removed. Action Taken Report (ATR) should be filed within 3 months, but before that all parties should be given full opportunity of hearing.
Question 4: What happened in the first hearing?
During the first hearing, the mosque management claimed that the mosque is more than 100 years old and is Waqf property. He denied that there was a wedding procession. He claimed that sometimes the empty space is used for marriages. They even claimed to have a cemetery. The DDA/L&DO side said that the land always belonged to the Government of India. No ownership document in the name of Waqf Board
Question 5: What new came to light in the second hearing?
The Waqf Board claimed that the mosque is mentioned in the gazette notification of 1970, but the exact extent of the land is not clear. However, L&DO had important evidence, according to which there is a lease deed dated 15 February 1940. This lease is for only 0.195 acres of land. No further lease/allotment
Question 6: What was the final decision of the government?
The final order of MCD was very clear that no right has been proved on more than 0.195 acres of land. Because of this the land belongs to the Government of India (L&DO). Apart from mosque/dargah/cemetery, no wedding venue, parking, clinic or earning related activities can be run on this government land. In this way, every structure built outside 0.195 acres would be considered encroachment, hence they were removed.
Question 7: Was the entire mosque declared illegal?
On this matter, the government clearly said that 0.195 acres of land is legal. For this reason the entire mosque cannot be declared illegal. Any construction outside this is illegal.
Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Why did the bulldozer run in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan area, how did the dispute start, what is the link to the mosque?