TMMK to launch agitation to demand permission to perform prayer inside the Mosque at Vellore Fort

The President of Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, Prof. M.H. Jawahirullah, addressed a Press Conference at Vellore on 3rd March 2007. The following is the text of his speech at the Press conference:

The Chief Executive Council of Taminadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam which met at Chengelpet recently had decided to launch an agitation to demand the restoration of prayers at the Mosque situated inside the Vellore Fort.

Vellore Mosque is located within the ramparts of Vellore Fort, an imposing structure located at Vellore in Tamil Nadu. The history of the mosque dates back to 1750 AD. It is made of granite stones with mortar, on three sides. The front portion is plastered with lime and bricks. It is rectangular in shape. The Mosque inside the Vellore Fort is now under the control of Archaeological Survey of India. At present worship is not permitted in the Mosque and the gates of the mosque are closed.

 

Muslims of Vellore have been demanding for decades together that the Mosque should be thrown open for worship. They have made representations to the State Government, Central Government as well as the Archaeological Survey of India. Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam had also made representations to various Government agencies. However all the representations have been turned down. The ASI Director (Monument) in his letter D.O. No.20/2/05M dated 12th Sept 2005 has stated that “since the mosque at the time of protection of the monument was not under the worship, it cannot be opened for performing prayer. The status quo has to be maintained,” The contention of the ASI is blatant discrimination.

The Archaeological Survey of India took over for protection in 1921 not only the Mosque situated inside the Vellore Fort but also the whole Vellore Fort, Moat, Fort Maidan, Temple, Church etc comprising 138 acres under the Ancient Monuments Preservation and Maintenance Act of 1904, 1952 and 1958. The ASI contends that the Mosque was not used for prayer at the time of take over and hence prayers cannot be permitted now. Similarly the temple inside the Fort was also not used for worship at the time of take over. But now worship is going on in the temple as well as in the Church. Similarly, when the Fort was taken over by ASI there were no Government Offices inside the Fort. Now inside the Fort we have 48 Government establishments including the Thiruvalluvar University, Police Training College, Tashildar office, Forest office, District Registrar office, Office of the District Educaional Officer, Public Works Department office, Tourism information office, Sub Treasury office, Police Hospital etc., Further two small temples have also come up within the precincts of the Fort.

In the past when the people of Vellore demanded that they should be permitted to pray in the Jalakanteswarar Temple the plea was turned down on several occasions on the ground that the temple was not used for worship at the time of its take over by the ASI. However on 16th March 1981 a lingam was removed from the temple of Satuvacherry and installed at the Jalakanteswarar temple by the public who began worship at the temple. The then state administration did not intervene in the act of the Public. Mr. A.K. Seshadri in his book ‘Vellore Fort and The Temple through the Ages’ describing the events on 16th March 1981 states: “The staff of ASI could do nothing to prevent the forcible action of the mob, except watching the happenings and complaining the incident to the police and the District Collector. The district authorities took no action, saying that this is a sensitive religious matter and therefore any preventive action would lead to the law and order problem and thus the worship in the temple had come to stay.” (pp98, 99)

When this is the reality, ASI’s contention that the Mosque was not used as place of worship at the time of its takeover and hence permission could not be granted for prayers there is ridiculous. The Jalakanteswarar temple was also not used for worship at time of its takeover. However the people of Vellore on their own established their right to worship in the temple and the ASI could not prevent it until today. 48 Government offices have sprinkled inside the Fort which is a protected monument. The ASI is a silent spectator. Sinister attempts have been made to convert the Mosque into a Post office; however the ASI remains as a mute spectator.

The attitude of the ASI in contending that it would not permit prayers in the Mosque inside the Vellore fort is sheer discrimination. When the ASI has done nothing to prevent worship in the Jalakanteshwarar temple as well as the two new small temples and is also allowing Government offices to function inside the protected monument, we would like to ask how the preservation of the monument would be affected by permitting prayers inside the mosque?

In this background Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam is setting an ultimatum to the relevant authorities. We will wait until April 30 for the handover of the Mosque for prayers. If the ASI is adamant and sticks to its stand, TMMK will organise an agitation to perform Jummah (Friday) prayers at the Mosque inside the Vellore fort.