Gujarat Court Approves Partial Demolition of 400-Year-Old Mosque

Gujarat Court Approves Partial Demolition of 400-Year-Old Mosque
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The Gujarat High Court has approved the partial demolition of a 400-year-old mosque in Saraspur, Ahmedabad, to allow a government road expansion project. The decision follows a petition by the Mansa Mosque Committee, which challenged a municipal notice from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) requiring the building’s partial clearance.

The committee argued that the mosque is a sacred site, managed as a trust for prayers and religious activities, and claimed that demolition would violate constitutional protections. However, Justice Mauna Pat rejected the appeal, stating that the provisions of the Endowments Act do not apply and that the AMC acted within its authority under the Gujarat Municipal Corporation Act (GMPC).

Authorities emphasized that the project serves public interest and urban development goals. This ruling aligns with previous cases involving historic Islamic religious sites, such as the demolition of a mosque, shrine, and cemetery in Gir Somnath in September 2024, which sparked local protests but was allowed to proceed by the courts.