The Chhattisgarh Haj Committee finds itself in a dilemma, as the land allotted by the previous Congress government for the Haj House construction is now cited as “disputed” by none other than the ruling BJP government.
The Jogi government after series of deliberations had allotted a land area of 27125 sq ft in the Raipur city for the proposed Haj House. In early 2007 even a Delhi based company Design & Development Forum was given the contract for its construction at a cost of 6.82 crore after the tender notification. The design and cost of the project was also approved.
But officially now the Haj Committee has been refused the same land. In a letter addressed to the State Haj Committee it has been said that the proposed land allotted for the construction of Haj House appears disputed and the Committee should better look for some alternative land.
When contacted the Secretary, tribal welfare under whose aegis the Haj Committee functions, M K Raut said that the dispute is nothing but a massive encroachment in the area. “Let the district administration clear it, the construction would start,” said the secretary.
However the Raipur district collector Vikasheel, who has been recently shifted to other department, said that most of the encroachment has already been removed barring one or two. Even the State Haj Committee also claims that there is as such no dispute and encroachment if any in the proposed area is negligible.
Raipur Civil Court in June 2007 observed that inhabitant occupying 276sq ft (in the proposed land) stands eligible for rehabilitation pending further order while the claims of other occupants in the area were taken as untenable.
“More than 90 per cent of the land is still out of encroachment and without any dispute,” said Mohammed Akbar, legislator and member of Haj Committee.
The perplexed Haj Committee wonders why the government has asked it to look for alternative land and is the dispute really significant.
Interestingly, the Chairman of Chhattisgarh Haj Committee Dr Salim Raj cited ignorance about the stand the BJP government has taken on the issue. “I was not told that the allotted land is disputed. I think there is no dispute,” said Raj. He parried to a query on whether he would convince his government to construct Haj House on the same land.
The issue is now creating resentment among the Muslim minority. “It’s regretting the government is overlooking the sentiments of Muslims,” said Akbar Farooqui, religious leader and patron of Chhattisgarh Madarsa Tanzeem. He asked why the government should declare the allotted land as disputed. “The already delayed project is now nowhere after the recent government order,” added Dr Umair Siddiqui, a noted Islamic scholar.
Former Chairman of the State Haj Committee Badruddin Qureshi lashed out at the BJP government for its refusal to allot land for Haj House. “The BJP instead of viewing minority issue with respect needlessly creates controversy,” asserted Qureshi. “Instead of providing suitable land the state government is asking the Haj Committee to search for alternative land,” he exclaimed.
“I took up the Haj House issue in the Assembly with the hope that there would be some solution but in vain,” said Congress MLA Muhammad Akbar.