HC notice to Centre, Karnataka govt on madrasa inside ASI protected mosque

The High Court of Karnataka has ordered issuance of notices to the state and central governments on a PIL petition alleging that a Madrasa was being illegally run in the premises of an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected mosque in Srirangapatna in Mandya district.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit heard the petition by Abishek Gowda on Wednesday and issued notices to the respondents to file their objections and adjourned the hearing.

The petitioner alleged that the Madrasa inside the Juma Masjid in Srirangapatna had damaged the original structure with the construction of structural alterations, demolition of compound, construction of toilets, destruction of ancient carvings besides cooking and consumption of food daily.

"All the above acts are totally illegal and a violation of Section 7, Rule 7 & 8 of the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act and Rules," he claimed.

The petitioner further submitted that the office bearers of Bajarang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad had requested the authorities concerned to take action in this regard in 2022 and also filed a police complaint but to no avail.

In its reply to an RTI application filed by the petitioner seeking information on the Madrasa inside the mosque, the ASI said no permission was granted to run a Madrasa inside the protected site.

The petitioner has sought a court direction to the ASI to remove illegal structures in the mosque and shut the madrasa illegally operating in it.

As there was no response to his pleas to the Archeological Survey of India, the state and central governments, the petitioner moved the court.