A four-hundred-year-old mosque. That’s Masjid Dibya Wali. We stand before it. A testament to Delhi’s rich history. It’s located in Mehrauli near Andheria Mor opposite Kisan Haat. Sadly much of its original structure is gone.
In 2009 parts of Masjid Dibya Wali were demolished. The Delhi Development Authority was responsible. They claimed it was to remove illegal encroachments. This sparked protests. Local Muslims felt their sentiments were deeply hurt. Angry clashes broke out. The police responded with a lathi charge. A traffic jam ensued.
This wasn’t the first time the mosque faced controversy. Even during Vishwanath Pratap Singh’s time as Prime Minister there were objections to prayers at Masjid Dibya Wali. The matter went to the Delhi High Court. The court ordered the status quo to be maintained. The Delhi Wakf Board Chairman spoke out against the demolition. He said the mosque’s records were in the Board Gazette. The DDA had no right to interfere.
The Imam Maulana Tahir Qasmi and others protested the demolition. They described how locals were roughed up by the police. Maulana Mohammad Talha the mosque’s Supervisory Committee President called the action illegal. One DDA official Neemudhar insisted the demolition was just about removing illegal structures. He denied any communal intent. But the scars remain. The story of Masjid Dibya Wali shows the tensions that sometimes exist. The conflict between preservation and development. Between faith and authority.
Today we see the remnants of a once vibrant place of worship. Masjid Dibya Wali a site steeped in history. A story of resistance and loss. A reminder of Delhi’s complex past. A story that continues to resonate. A story still being written.