Maj. Gen. CM Seth

The Tangled Web of Secularism. Good news is coming in from Kolkata: the practice of offering *N@maz* (prayers) on public roads has been prohibited. A few years ago in Gurgaon, Haryana, crowds of people began gathering on roads and in parks to offer prayers. It was only after significant struggle and difficulty that local residents managed to put a stop to this. A few years ago, reports emerged that a 1,500-year-old temple in South India had been declared *W@qf* (endowment) property. The truth, however, is that 1,500 years ago, I$lam did not even exist. Across India, one can find numerous mosques, *Pirs' m@zaars* (shrines), *d@rgahs*, and *Eidg@hs* that have been constructed over the last 75 years by encroaching upon land designated for railway stations, bus stands, or main roads. If Indian law is truly meant to be independent of—and unconcerned with—any specific religion or faith, then such t€mples and mo$ques should be removed. Yet, the rules are frequently altered to accommodate *m@zaars* and mo$ques. This form of one-sided secularism is extremely dangerous. In countries like Saudi Arabia, mo$ques are openly demolished to facilitate the construction of roads and other infrastructure projects. On one occasion, the Sultan of Saudi Arabia required land to build his palace; he issued an order saying, "Demolish the Bilal Mo$que to make way for the palace." This was the very mo$que where Proph€t Muh@mmad himself used to offer prayers! If the "Mo$que of Proph€t Muh@mmad" can be demolished and relocated in Saudi Arabia, then why are encroachments being allowed to persist in India in the name of secularism? At Muzaffarpur Railway Station, on Platform No. 4, stands the *Jinn@t* (or *Jinn*) Mo$que. Legend has it that this mosque appeared—fully constructed—overnight. Consequently, the railway track on Platform No. 4 has had to be laid out in an 'L' shape, forcing trains to take a detour in order to reach the station. The Mu$lim population resides at least 1.5 kilometers away from this location. There is no settlement or neighborhood in the immediate vicinity of this mo$que where local residents regularly offer prayers. Yet, the mo$que remains packed even during the early morning prayers held as late as 4:00 AM. In February 2018, a mo$que situated on the Muzaffarnagar National Highway was removed. The construction of a flyover at this site had been stalled for 10 years due to its presence. Consequently, approximately 80 deaths had occurred in road accidents in the area. Because of this mo$que, the flyover—intended to span the railway line over the highway—remained in limb. The government was ultimately required to pay a compensation of ₹35 lakhs for its removal. Indira Gandhi International Airport: At the airport's Terminal 2 (T-2)—specifically near Runways 10 and 28—lie the shrines (*m@zars*) of Pir Roshan Khan and Kale Khan. The GMR Group not only maintains these shrines but also provides its own vehicles and other facilities to transport Mu$lim devotees to the site for *darshan* (visitation). Due to the presence of these shrines, the runway itself had to be 'shifted.' In stark contrast, access routes to the Hindu places of worship located in this area—which served as ancestral memorial sites for the residents of these villages—were completely blocked off.

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