Tension in Mumbai’s Dharavi: Mob Surrounds BMC Team Demolishing Illegal Mosque Section
Tension has spread in Mumbai’s Dharavi following BMC’s action on an illegal mosque. A BMC team arrived at Dharavi to demolish the illegal part of the Mehboob-e-Subhania Mosque, but the crowd caused chaos. People are sitting on the road protesting, and several vehicles, including those of the corporation, were vandalized.
Due to the situation, a large number of police officers have been deployed. The situation in Dharavi remains tense. BMC officials, along with police officers, are in discussions with leaders of the Muslim community regarding the issue.
Muslim Community Protests on the Streets
In Dharavi, the 25-year-old Subhania Mosque located on the 90-foot road has been declared illegal by BMC, and it was set to be demolished today. Before BMC’s action, members of the Muslim community took to the streets last night, blocking the entire road. The Muslim community claims that the mosque is very old.
Congress MP Meets Chief Minister Regarding the Issue
The Muslim community claims that the mosque is old and the action against it is unjust. Mumbai North-Central MP Prof. Varsha Gaikwad mentioned that she met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde about this issue and informed him about the sentiments of the people concerning BMC’s demolition notice for the Mehboob-e-Subhania Mosque in Dharavi.
Varsha Gaikwad stated that her conversation with the Chief Minister was positive. She mentioned that the Chief Minister assured her that he would speak with the concerned officials and gave a promise that the demolition process would be halted.
Mosque Located 100 Meters from Police Station
The 90-foot road where the mosque is located is just 100 meters from the Dharavi police station. Reports claim that BMC had also sent a notice to the mosque committee last year, but no resolution was reached.
Here, Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in protest of the action. Gaikwad claimed that the Chief Minister assured that the demolition would be stopped.
Dharavi’s History: Established by the British in 1882, Popularized by Films
Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, was established by the British in 1882. It was created with the purpose of providing housing for laborers. Over time, the population grew, and slums were formed. The land here is government-owned, but people have built slums on it.
There is no official data on how many people live in Dharavi. An estimate suggests that around 1 million people live in small slums. More than 13,000 small industries operate in these slums. The alleys are so narrow that even stretchers cannot enter if someone falls ill.
The redevelopment project for Dharavi is expected to cost around ₹23,000 crore. In July 2023, the Adani Group was awarded the project, which will provide new homes to over 60,000 families for free. The condition is that the family must have been living in Dharavi before January 1, 2000.
Dharavi gained popularity after the 2008 release of the film Slumdog Millionaire, which won several awards. This area was also featured in the movie Gully Boy. Many tourists visit Dharavi to get a glimpse of life in India’s slums.
