50-year-old mosque demolished in Faridabad amid legal dispute, locals allege targeting
Faridabad: The demolition of a decades-old mosque in Haryana’s Faridabad has sparked outrage and sorrow among local residents, who claim the move was both hasty and politically motivated.
The Aqsa Masjid, located in Badkhal village, was razed on Monday by the municipal corporation, despite the case being under active consideration by the Supreme Court. The demolition was carried out under heavy police presence, including three assistant commissioners of police.
“This is not just a building—it’s our history, our faith,” said Mushtaq, a long-time resident of the area. “The Supreme Court had yet to give its verdict. Why rush to destroy it now? First, they came for the shops. Now, the mosque. This feels deliberate.”
According to locals, the mosque stood peacefully for 50 years on land originally donated by a former village sarpanch. The structure, measuring approximately 40 by 80 feet, served as a central place of worship for the Muslim community in the area. For decades, there were no disputes over its legality until recent years, when officials began labeling it as an encroachment.
Municipal officials maintain that the demolition was a legally mandated action. “This mosque was one of several unauthorised constructions on public land,” said a senior municipal officer. “The matter had been examined, and we followed due process under legal directives.”
However, community members refute these claims, insisting that the structure had never been previously challenged in any serious way. They argue that labeling it an encroachment is a recent development and lacks basis given the mosque’s long-standing presence.
The incident comes at a time of heightened communal sensitivity across parts of the country, and rights groups have begun raising questions about the timing and manner of the demolition.
A 50-year-old mosque, Aqsa Masjid, whose case is pending in the Supreme Court, was arbitrarily demolished by the municipal corporation amidst heavy police presence, including three assistant commissioners of police, at Haryana's Faridabad district, sparking public outcry among… pic.twitter.com/i52cEET7yT
— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) April 16, 2025
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
IMF approves USD 206 million emergency funding for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka's recovery
Colombo (PTI): The IMF has approved an emergency funding of USD 206 million under its rapid finance instrument to help Sri Lanka “address the urgent needs arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah and preserve macroeconomic stability”.
The cyclone caused widespread destruction in the island nation and left over 643 people dead.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the disaster has created urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs, generating significant fiscal pressures and balance-of-payments needs.
ALSO READ: PM arrives in Kolkata to unveil projects, address rally in Bengal''s Nadia
The emergency financial support provided by the IMF under the rapid finance instrument will help address these pressures, it said.
The IMF added that the cyclone devastation hit when the Fifth Review of Sri Lanka’s USD 2.9 billion bailout was nearing completion.
“Given the time needed to assess the economic impact of the cyclone and examine how an IMF-supported programme can best support Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction efforts while preserving objectives and policy priorities, the Fifth Review has been deferred," it said.
"An IMF mission team will visit Sri Lanka in early 2026 to resume discussions,” it added.
The 48-month extended fund facility deal with the IMF in March 2023 carried hard reforms to Sri Lanka's welfare-based governance.
It was signed after Sri Lanka plunged into an unprecedented economic meltdown with its first-ever sovereign default.
Several hours before the IMF decision, the parliament here approved without a vote a supplementary estimate of LKR 500 billion, which the government said was required to restore the livelihoods of those affected by the disaster.
