'How dare you?': Indian Supreme Court slams Delhi residents for illegally occupying 15th-century tomb
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The Supreme Court of India slammed The Defence Colony Welfare Association (DCWA) for illegally occupying the 600-year-old tombof a Muslim aristocrat, Shaikh Ali, and converting it into an office.
“You’ve been occupying that place and running your little fiefdom sitting in the air-conditioned office. And not even paying rent," the judges were reported saying by The Times.
According to the enquiry report submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the colony association bricked up the original stones of the tomb and repainted the walls.
It had also installed electricity and plumbing along with a modern lavatory block, shed and air-conditioner, put tiling on the floor and fitted aluminium doors, a water tank, a false ceiling, and all this without any legal permission.
The association reportedly protested saying it had been using the tomb to deal with the municipal problems of local residents since 1990. But judges slammed their protest calling it "foolish" justification.
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The court slammed both the DCWA and the Archaeological Survey of India for allowing the tomb to be treated that way.
According to The Times, experts said the case is an example of "land grabbing" by private individuals who illegally occupy public or extend their residential or business premises.
“It’s a sense of entitlement that allows people to do this to public monuments. There are even cases where people have started living inside these ancient tombs,” historian Swapna Liddle told The Times.
ASI's Changed Stance
In August 2024, the court directed the CBI to launch an enquiry into the illegal takeover of the tomb and the inaction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The ASI said that if there is an alteration or addition to a monument, it is not considered protected because the purpose of ASI is to protect a structure that is in its original form only.
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But the CBI pointed out in its report that there is no such provision.
(With inputs from agencies)