KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday declined to grant interim permission for pilgrims to offer prayers at the Bankra mosque inside the premises of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, with airport authorities and the state citing security concerns. The matter will be heard again on October 7.
Justice Krishna Rao heard a petition filed by the Bankra mosque committee challenging restrictions on entry imposed by the airport authorities. The committee sought an interim order allowing devotees to resume prayers, but the hearing remained inconclusive due to paucity of time.
Senior advocate Kishore Dutta, appearing for the petitioners, argued that devotees had earlier been allowed to access the mosque after undergoing security screening. They were then transported by a CISF bus to the mosque during prayer hours.
Additional Solicitor General Dhiraj Trivedi, appearing for the authorities, opposed the plea on security grounds. The airport authorities submitted that the mosque was located within the operational area and close to the runway, and referred to previous instances of security breaches in which unauthorised persons were found on the airport apron.
Dutta argued that access could have been regulated through a systematic arrangement instead of abruptly suspending prayers at the mosque.
Restrictions on entry were imposed in July amid security concerns, while discussions on relocating the mosque have also taken place. The mosque is located around 165 metres from the airport's secondary runway and has been flagged by aviation authorities as an obstacle.
During Thursday's hearing, the recent Flydubai incident was also referred to in the context of security concerns. The court said security threats were not confined to India and referred to the incident.
In July, Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy had alleged that the Centre and airport authorities were using security concerns to push for the relocation of the mosque. He had said any administrative decision on the mosque should be taken after consulting the local minority community.
The mosque, which is over 130 years old, predates the present airport infrastructure and has remained at the centre of a dispute over access and possible relocation.
“Muslims cannot hand over a mosque to anybody. We have urged the airport authorities several times to refer the matter to the Darul Uloom Deoband (leading Islamic seminary in Uttar Pradesh), the Muslim Personal Law Board and the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. We will also participate in the discussions. We want a peaceful and religious solution to the problem,” Siddiqullah Chowdhury, former minister in the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government and president of the Bankra masjid committee, had told the media in July.
The court will take up the matter again on October 7.