The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice on a plea seeking removal of illegal and unauthorised mosques, darghas, mazars, and graveyards at public places in the national capital.

The court sought the response of the Centre through the Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi Government, Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and Delhi’s Public Works Department.

The plea says that the tendency to construct mosques and mazars at public places in Delhi is rapidly increasing day by day. “Such illegal activities are rapidly increasing with intention to capture more and more land illegally and unauthorisedly in the name of pseudo religion due to which the national integrity and National Interest is being jeopardised,” the plea submits.

“The situation is so alarming that such activities might give rise to communal disharmony and is affecting public as well as law and order, but the Respondents are negligent in performing their constitutional responsibilities and duties as no action is being taken against such illegal construction for political reasons thereby giving a jolt to the secular fabric of the Constitution,” it adds.

“The Mazars at public roads are creating day to day trouble for the pedestrians. The persons holding the charge of mazars spread ‘Chadar’ and coerce the public to pay donations and in this way a huge amount is collected by adopting all nefarious acts. The matter becomes worse on Thursdays when the organizers collect huge amount of money creating superstitions in the mind of public. On Thursday evening even some times road is blocked by the organizers. Quwwalis are organized and traffic is obstructed. The unsocial elements take advantage of the situation and a number of mis-happenings including outraging the modesty of women occur,” the plea further states.

Advocates Hari Shankar Jain, Vishnu Shankar Jain, Parth Yadav, Mani Munjal, and Amita Sachdeva appeared for the petitioners.