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"The demolition on the Noor Masjid in the dead of night on the directives of the chief minister of Delhi has increased a sense of insecurity among Muslims and had the Delhi government let the court know the ground realities, the demolition could have been averted," SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav told newspersons here.
The mosque was demolished by Delhi Development Authority in south-east Delhi`s Jangpura-B Block area on Wednesday on orders of Delhi High Court, amidst heavy police presence.
However, six persons, including four policemen, were injured after agitators took to stone-pelting protesting the demolition.
Yadav who visited the Jama Masjid yesterday where around two lakh Muslims offered Friday prayers and met the Shahi Imam compared the demolition of the Noor Masjid with the Ayodhya demolition carried out 18 years ago terming it as "second Ayodhya case".
To a question that the demolition was carried out on Delhi High Court orders, Yadav said courts have delivered decisions on religious matters in the past also but negotiations are a better way to sort them out.
Attacking the Congress, Yadav alleged that whenever the party has been at the helm, such issues have cropped up and cited the "shilanayas", opening of locks and demolition in Ayodhya.
Yadav appealed to the Central and Delhi governments to take an initiative to sort the matter by satisfying Muslims and demanded that the mosque be rebuilt.
The SP chief also extended his greetings to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on her 55th birthday.
"Janmdin par apni shubhkamanayen deta hoon, woh swasthya aur prasann rahen aur unko sadbuddhi bhi mile" (I extend my best wishes, hope she remains healthy and happy and get wisdom), he remarked.
The SP however has said there is misuse of massive government funds on Mayawati`s birthday celebrations and also alleged that officials were pressurised to "extort" money from people.
