500-year-old graveyard, mosque razed in anti-encroachment drive in Gir Somnath

Tension gripped Veraval area of Gir Somnath district in Gujarat after nine religious structures and 45 huts were demolished as a part of an anti-encroachment drive.

Among the structures that were demolished in the Prabhas Patan area of Veraval were homes belonging to local Muslims, a mosque, several dargahs, and a 500-year-old graveyard that sparked protests around the district. More than 800 policemen were deployed to prevent any untoward incident in the area on Monday.

Several detained for resisting drive

“135 people have been detained to ensure law and order until the illegal structures are razed. Some people resisted the drive and the police had to use mild force to maintain law and order. The entire area, where demolitions is taking place, has been cordoned off with entry restricted to authorised personnel only,” said Manoharsinh Jadeja, Superintendent of Police (SP), Gir Somnath.

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“It is an ongoing process. A total of 21 religious and commercial structures and 121 huts, which are illegal constructions, are to be demolished,” said DD Jadeja, Collector of Somnath district. “Police have been deployed in Somnath Veraval town as a precautionary measure,” he added.

As per the authorities, the land where the anti-encroachment drive was carried out belonged to the Shree Somnath Trust, which manages the Somnath Temple. The encroachments from 15 hectares of land, which is worth Rs 60 crore, were removed following a court ruling against it.

“The land belongs to Shree Somnath Trust, which manages the Somnath Temple and the state government. The government had allotted some plots to Somnath Trust in the 1950s on a lease for 99 years. Over a period of time, these plots were encroached. The matter was first raised in the Gujarat High Court in 1986. A PIL was filed again in 2006 that was dismissed. Subsequently another petition was filed in 2020 but the court didn’t grant the encroachers any relief,” said Jadeja.

Minority rights group seeks justice

Notably, following the demolitions, the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), a Gujarat-based minority rights organisation, wrote to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel seeking justice for the Muslim community of Somnath who have lost homes in the demolition process.

“This entire demolition drive is in violation of Supreme Court’s order of September 17, 2024, that states that no demolition can be carried out across the country without its permission till October 1 except for illegal constructions on public roads, footpaths, railway lines or public places. Yet the Gujarat government deemed it fit to go ahead with massive demolition drive displacing thousands of Muslims and razing several ancient shrines like Haji Mangrol Dargah, Shah Silar Dargah, Garib Shah Dargah and Jafar Muzaffar Dargah. The Haji Mangrol Shah Dargah dates back to 1924 and its reference can be found in erstwhile Junagadh princely state’s revenue records,” said MCC coordinator Mujahid Nafees.

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“The anti-encroachment drive in the coastal districts of the state targeting Muslim homes and religious structures began after November 2022 following a speech of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In a rousing speech during a campaign rally ahead of Assembly polls, he stated that coasts of Gujarat would be free of anti-India elements and conspirators,” added Nafees.

Will continue drive: Gujarat govt

Earlier, in February this year, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said in the state Assembly, “So far 108 mazars have been demolished in the state and the Bhupendra Patel-led government will continue the drive against any encroachment that crops up as part of a conspiracy.”

“Today, I recall speech by Amit Bhai. A derasar was removed in Jamalpur area in Ahmedabad during Congress rule in the state. Now, Dada’s (CM Bhupendra Patel) bulldozer is moving around in every corner of the state so that no temple can be removed as part of a conspiracy. The encroachments around Somnath has been removed (referring to the first anti-encroachment drive in Somnath where 500 Muslim fishermen lost their homes),” he added.

Land belongs to Waqf Board: Congress

Meanwhile, Nusrat Panja, a Congress leader from Gir Somnath said the land belonged to Waqf Board and the demolition was illegal as the court order was misconstrued by the Gir Somnath district authorities.

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“A court in Veraval had ruled that Waqf tribunal was the competent forum to decide a civil suit about the said land. Hence the petitioner approached the tribunal which had fixed October 11, 2024 as the date of hearing. But the Collector issued a notice to custodian of one of the mosques (demolished today) on September 12, asking to prove ownership and fixed September 19 as the date of hearing. The petitioners then moved the Gujarat High Court, seeking protection against any coercive action. The high court had fixed October 8 as the date of hearing stating that prima facie it seems the said land belonged to the government. The court had not passed any judgement and the case was subjudice. However, the Collector ordered demolition after giving a final warning of 24 hours,” Panja said.