Mosque offers shelter to Hindus in rain-hit Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram : With a mosque opening its portals to distressed Hindus and Muslims cleaning temples, the murderous monsoon seems to have washed away the barriers of religious differences in rain-ravaged Kerala.
Amid the distress triggered by the floods, a mosque in northern Malappuram, one of the worst-hit districts, has offered shelter to 17 displaced Hindu families, including women, children and the elderly.
The Juma Masjid, located at Akampadam in Chaliyar village, has virtually turned a relief camp since the second spell of rains started to devastate the northern districts on August 8.
Cutting across religion and caste, the displaced people were given space to sleep inside the mosque, provided food prepared at its canteen and given rice, pulses and other essential materials when they returned home.
Most of the 78 people, who were given shelter at the Juma Masjid, were Hindus, Chaliyar village panchayat chief P T Usman said.
“There were 26 families who had sought refuge in the mosque, a majority of them Hindus. Though we opened the relief camp at the mosque on August 8, the activities started in full swing only after August 14, following a series of landslides that rocked the district,” he told PTI.
The Hindu families returned two days ago as water receded from their submerged homes, Usman said. “The rest returned home after taking part in the observance of Bakrid today,” he added.
Meanwhile, two groups of Muslim men had no hesitation in cleaning Hindu shrines in Wayanad and Malappuram districts.
A Vishnu temple at Venniyode in Wayanad and a shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa at Mannarkkad in Malappuram, inundated due to the floods, were cleaned by them.
Many shared the photos of the Muslim men cleaning the temples on social media.
A total of 231 people have lost their lives and 32 are missing in flood-related incidents in Kerala since August 8. Nearly 14.50 lakh people from 3.91 lakh families have taken shelter in about 3,879 relief camps across the state.
courtesy : indianexpress.com
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Waqf board claims ownership of 53 historic monuments in Karnataka
Hubballi: The Karnataka Waqf Board has claimed ownership of 53 historical monuments across the state, including notable sites like Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza, and Bara Kaman in Vijayapura. In 2005, the Waqf Board declared 43 of these sites in Vijayapura, once the capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty, as Waqf properties. However, these sites have since faced encroachments and unauthorised modifications.
According to records obtained through an RTI, the Waqf Board designated these 43 sites as Waqf properties using Record of Rights (ROR) documents, though the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the recognised custodian of these protected sites. “While ASI is the holder of the land/monument, the encumbrance is the Waqf authority. This has been done without consulting ASI,” says the RTI response from the Union government.
This declaration was made by Mohammad Mohsin, who held dual roles as Vijayapura’s Deputy Commissioner and Waqf Board Chairman at the time.
“I don’t remember how many monuments were declared as Waqf properties. But whatever I have done is according to the government gazette notification issued by the Revenue Department and authentic documentary evidence produced by the parties,” said Mohsin.
Many of these monuments, designated as nationally significant heritage sites since 1914, are officially under ASI’s care as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (1958). ASI asserts that "once an ASI property, it is always an ASI property," meaning their ownership is non-transferable. However, sources report that several of these sites have been defaced, unscientifically renovated, or altered with elements like air conditioners, fluorescent lighting, and even commercial and residential structures, impacting their historical integrity and tourism appeal.
“Monuments are the living examples of our history. Monuments can be renovated/conserved in the prescribed manner only by ASI. However, the 43 monuments in Vijayapura are being defaced and are being repaired with plaster and cement. Fans, air conditioners, fluorescent lights and toilets are being added to the monuments. Shopkeepers have taken over certain properties. This is adversely impacting the flow of tourists to these monuments,” said an officer who did not wish to be named.
Since 2007, the Ministry of Culture has repeatedly requested the state authorities to clear encroachments on these sites. Despite a joint survey in 2012, ASI officials report that neither the Waqf Board nor the Vijayapura Deputy Commissioner’s office has provided adequate documentation to substantiate Waqf’s ownership claim. ASI officials, under directives to avoid commenting on the issue publicly, maintain that their ownership under the AMASR Act remains unchangeable.
