Action taken to prevent law and order issues at place of worship; protester demands free, fair elections for mosque committee
Kadar Shah and a group of Muslims staging a hunger strike near the Jamia Masjid, Margao. Police swooped down at the venue and whisked away Kadar Shah.
MARGAO
Margao police swooped down on the venue where Kadar Shah, along with a group of Muslim citizens, had staged a hunger strike near the Jamia Masjid in Margao, demanding justice for the registered members of the institution through the conduct of free, fair, and democratic elections to the Jamia Masjid Committee.
A police team arrived at the site shortly after Kadar Shah began his hunger strike and whisked him away to the Margao police station in a police vehicle. He was later detained under preventive detention provisions for holding the protest without prior permission from the authorities.
Margao Police Station in-charge, PI Suraj Samant informed that the police acted against Kadar Shah to avert a law and order problem near the place of worship.
Kadar along with some Muslim citizens appealed to the District Registrar to mete out justice to the 792 registered members by issuing clear orders to conduct free, fair, and democratic elections of the Jamia Masjid Committee. The committee must be selected democratically, without political pressure, intimidation, or criminal goondagiri, he requested.
Saying that he had requested the District Registrar to conduct free and fair election to the Jamia Masjid Committee, Kadar urged the authorities to act promptly, uphold the rule of law, protect the sanctity of religious institutions, and ensure justice, transparency, and democracy prevail.
“Arab Saab Sunni Jamia Masjid is a historic mosque with a legacy of over 150 years. It has always been a sacred place of worship, learning, and communal harmony. The Masjid is not-and has never been-a den of criminals,” he said.
He added: It is a matter of grave concern that history-sheeters from Moti Dongor are allegedly controlling the day-to-day affairs of the Jamia Masjid, reportedly at the behest of political influence. Such elements have no moral, legal, or social authority to manage a religious institution.
Masjid members complain against Kadar Shah over Friday protest amid pending election case
MARGAO: A group of Muslims, including the general secretary of Jamia Masjid, Margao called on Margao police to complain against Kadar Shah for what they alleged as trying to disturb peace at the place of worship during the Friday prayers.
General Secretary Mohammed Jaffar Sheikh demanded to know how come Kadar Shah has decided to stage a hunger strike when the matter over the election is pending before the District Registrar. “Since Kadar has filed a petition before the District Registrar, he cannot force the authority to pass an order. The Court should be allowed to take a decision. Let the court decide and the decision should be implemented,” he said.
Jaffar Sheikh further demanded to know how Kadar decided to stage the hunger strike near the Masjid just before the Friday prayers.
Another member of the group Munna disputed Kadar for his allegations that the Masjid is being controlled by criminal elements from Moti Dongor.
“Even assuming that someone was arrested by the police in the past, the court had subsequently released the person from detention. Let the court decide on the elections for the Managing Committee of the Masjid,” he said.
