The tireless efforts of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind for the last three years finally bore fruit on 23 May 2014 when the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) began the process to demarcate the 14 acres of Muslim graveyard which DDA had encroached upon and included in the Millennium Indraprastha Park. For the demarcation, DDA invited Mr. Intizar Naeem, Assistant Secretary Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, who has pursued the case persistently, and other concerned parties.
The 14 acres land was given to the Management Committee of New Cemetery for Mohammedans by the President of India on 10 January 1964 but the DDA occupied it and erected the Millennium Indraprastha Park thereupon. The park spreading over 85 acres of land including the 14 acres of graveyard was built by DDA in 2004.
Mr. Naeem took up the issue with National Commission for Minorities (NCM). After hearing the case on 1 August 2013, the NCM ordered DDA to demarcate the land. Later on the Ministry of Urban Development, under which DDA falls, also asked the DDA to implement the order.
More than nine months after the NCM order, DDA agreed to implement the order. It asked all concerned parties including JIH and Delhi Wakf Board to be present at the time of demarcation which was scheduled on 23 May.
Mr. Naeem, along with a team of his associates, reached the spot for demarcation. Even though the attitude of the DDA officials was not much supportive, Mr. Naeem remained firm to ensure demarcation process be completed that day itself.
Mr. Naeem, on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, was the first to raise the issue of encroached Muslim graveyard in 2011 with DDA and later he had petitioned to NCM.
The development shows that if one takes to legal course of action persistently in the right direction and remains firm to achieve the target in a peaceful manner, no one can deny justice.