On Islamic Relief Committee’s plea, Gujarat High Court stays construction of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Damnagar

Ahmedabad, 20 June 2012

On PIL filed by Islamic Relief Committee(IRC) the Gujarat High Court division bench of acting chief justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and justice J B Pardiwala on Tuesday ordered BAPS Swaminarayan sect to stop construction on a land in Amreli district’s Damnagar town which IRC claims as an old graveyard.

The High Court also issued notices to authorities concerned, State of Gujarat, the Wakf Board, Swaminarayan sect and Muslim outfits which are party to the civil suits pending in the court in this regard and posted the hearing after a fortnight.

“We opposed the permission granted (to the sect) by local authorities to construct a wall on the land which is entangled in a long legal battle,” said IRC counsel R K Munshi.

“There is a dispute over the said land and many civil suits are pending in different courts. District Collector is also reviewing the matter. Despite that municipal authorities granted permission for construction of the wall,” he said.

On last Thursday, Damnagar witnessed a communal clash during the wall construction. Nine Hindus were injured in the violence.