New Delhi: Delhi High Court Thursday refused to allow worshippers access to the Race Course mosque, even as central govt assured no coercive action would be taken against the religious structure for the time being.Hearing a petition to protect the mosque situated on a land parcel that has been taken over by Centre for “public purpose”, Justice Anish Dayal noted the ongoing demolition work around the structure and said, “If somebody gets injured, who is going to pay compensation?”Centre’s standing counsel, Ashish Dixit, submitted that the authorities would decide a representation by Delhi Waqf Board on the issue within four weeks and no coercive action would be taken in the meantime.In response to the petitioner’s request to permit access to the mosque, the counsel contended it would not be safe due to the ongoing demolition activity around it.“Let it go. Let them decide. It is a fair submission. We can’t force them to give access for prayers,” the court told the petitioner.The govt counsel informed the court that worshippers were currently not permitted access to a temple on the site as well.Syed Ahmed Saud has sought directions from the court to protect the mosque, a notified waqf property in the precincts of Jaipur Polo Ground since 1977, from demolition, as well as restoration of entry to it.Centre took over Jaipur Polo Ground in June and the adjoining Delhi Race Club in Aug.Earlier, Centre’s counsel had said authorities had discontinued electricity and water supply to the mosque to avoid any risk to the public during demolition of other structures on the premises.The petitioner’s counsel has argued that as a grade-II protected structure, any change in the mosque’s existence required approval of Heritage and Conservation Committee.He said the authorities had arbitrarily prohibited the petitioner from offering namaz at the mosque without any notice or order in flagrant derogation of Articles 14 and 25 of Constitution.
