The Bombay High Court on Thursday said that building a Haj house is a “secular activity, not religious”.

“You must differentiate between indulgence of the state in religious activity and secular activity. Construction of Haj house is a secular activity. It is not a religious activity. Do not confuse yourself,” the court told the petitioner Milind Ekbote.

The court was hearing a petition seeking to demolish a Haj house in Pune which is currently under construction. Ekbote’s lawyer, Kapil Rathod, told the court that there had been a change in land use as the site was reserved for providing basic amenities to people in and around the Kondhwa area of Pune. He said that the land use had been changed to construct the Haj house.

Rathod said the construction of a Haj house comes under religious activity and that it was not acceptable in current scenario. “How come only one community gets the benefit? There are lakhs of devotees who come to Pandharpur but nothing is done for them,” Rathod said.

However, Advocate Abhijit Kulkarni appearing for Pune Municipal Corporation, said the land use was not changed. He said different communities get space for their cultural and community activities at the site.

The bench also asked Rathod to just concentrate on the Haj house matter. “Where is the change in land use? If you build a temple, will it be used by everyone? Please make out a case first and show judgement that a Haj house cannot be constructed,” said the court.