Delay in mosque construction in Ayodhya amid Ram Mandir nearing completion

Ayodhya: The Supreme Court’s landmark verdict on the Ayodhya Ram Mandir case not only favoured the construction of the temple but also mandated the allocation of land for a mosque.

While the Ram Temple is nearing completion—approximately 80 per cent finished and with public darshan already commenced—the construction of the mosque has stalled significantly.

In fact, the mosque trust has not made any tangible progress in the last five years, struggling to get the necessary blueprints approved for the proposed mosque in Dhannipur.

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling on November 9, 2019, which directed the central govt to allocate five acres of land to the Sunni Waqf Board for the mosque, the district administration designated a site in Dhannipur village, Sohawal. However, despite the rapid advancements on the Ram Temple, no groundwork for the mosque has yet been laid.

Athar Hussain, secretary of the Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), cited financial constraints as the primary reason for the delay in construction.

He noted that the trust is currently formulating a comprehensive plan that includes not only the mosque but also a state-of-the-art cancer hospital, a community canteen, and a museum dedicated to preserving the history of the first war of independence in 1857.

While approximately Rs12 crores have been spent on preliminary mosque construction, an estimated Rs 300 crores are projected for the charity hospital.

To facilitate the funding process, IICF recently dissolved its four sub-committees, as these were seen as barriers to obtaining foreign donations. Hussain stated that there were also concerns about fake bank accounts being opened in the name of the mosque, leading the trust to file a police report.

The trust has applied for registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), which is necessary for receiving foreign donations.

Hussain mentioned that a fee of approximately Rs 1 crore is required to get the mosque’s construction plan approved, but so far, only about Rs 1 crore has been raised in donations. With the FCRA registration process underway, the trust anticipates that foreign contributions, particularly from Gulf countries, could alleviate the funding shortage.