Karnataka HC asks Centre, state to issue response over Jamia Masjid

The Karnataka high court has issued an order directing both the central and state governments to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the restriction of unauthorised madrasa activities at the Jamia Masjid in Srirangapatna of Mandya district.
During the hearing of the PIL filed by Abhishek Gowda, a resident of New Kabbalu village in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara district, concerns were raised alleging residential madrasa activities being conducted without authorisation in the premises of the Jamia Masjid.
The mosque, built during the reign of Tipu Sultan in Mysuru, is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which has officially recognised it as a historical and ancient monument.
The bench of chief justice Prasanna B Varale and justice Krishna S Dixit, after hearing the plea, adjourned the hearing and directed the Union ministry of culture, director general of ASI, state revenue department, and Mandya deputy commissioner to issue notices in this matter.
Currently hosting 50 to 60 students, the Jamia Masjid has facilities, including toilets, bathrooms, restrooms, and a kitchen, constructed on the premises for their use. The petition alleges that the presence of these structures and the conduct of madrasa activities violate sections 7, 8, and 16 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958.
In response to the petitioner’s concerns, a complaint was lodged with the Mandya deputy commissioner and local police, and a request was submitted on May 20, 2022, to clear the encroachments in the mosque area. However, no action has been taken thus far.
The petitioner urged for an urgent need to stop madrasa activities at the Jamia Masjid immediately, seeking the preservation of the mosque as an ancient monument. They demanded that the central and state governments take action to clear all unauthorised buildings constructed within the mosque premises.
For many years, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has opposed the use of the mosque by one community, claiming that it was forcibly converted from a Kote Anjaneya temple to a mosque. “According to historians and as mentioned in Mysuru Gazette, the temple was converted into a mosque during the tenure of erstwhile king Tipu Sultan,” said Srirangapatna Taluk Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president SR Ramesh. He urged the government to conduct a survey to study the originality and hand it over to Hindus for pooja.
“It has been used as a Madrasa by Muslims for many decades, and it is not good to stir the history of the place which creates unrest in society,” countered Mandya district congress president CD Gangadhar. “When they have been using it for Madrasa activities for a long time, it is not appropriate to raise a dispute,” he said.
“We have not received any notice from the court, but any protected monument being used by any community before the notification is permissible as per law,” clarified Karnataka ASI director SA Bipin Chandra. He explained that there are two types of monuments: one is living, and another one is non-living, with many temples under ASI where daily pooja is also being offered.