Jaipur bench of Rajasthan High Court has taken a big decision in the case related to demolition of illegal religious structures near India and Pakistan border. The court says that the security of the country comes before any religious identity. Also, a committee will be formed regarding the demolition of illegal constructions, on whose report further action will be taken.
Recently, notices were issued by the administration to remove religious places built without proper permission in the border areas. These notices were challenged in the High Court through separate petitions. While giving its verdict on the petitions, the High Court said that the security of the nation comes before any religious identity. The court rejected all the petitions.
Survey of border area on the instructions of Home Ministry
On the instructions of the Union Home Ministry, security agencies had started the survey in the border area. During the survey, information came to light that in the last few years, many madrassas, mosques-dargahs and other structures have been built within 50 kilometers of the border without the permission of the District Magistrate, and these were considered a major threat to national security.
After being warned by the agencies, notices were issued by the administration to remove these structures, the local committees challenged the notice in the High Court. Recently, action has also been taken against some religious places in Barmer and Jaisalmer districts, now the court has rejected all these petitions.
Committee should be formed to investigate property construction
The Jaipur bench of the High Court clearly acknowledged during the hearing that religious structures built without statutory permission near the international border are illegal constructions in the eyes of law, such constructions cannot be given protection only on religious grounds, especially when the matter is related to national security.
Rajasthan High Court ordered to form a committee to investigate each property and construction separately. This committee will review each case separately. If found necessary from security point of view, it can also take a decision to remove or demolish the construction.
This committee will include District Collector, District SP and representatives of Border Security Force (BSF). While delivering the verdict in the High Court, Justice Sameer Jain read the lines from the poem, the gist of which is, “When the question of national security is at stake, the country and its security are paramount before temple, mosque or any other religious identity.
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