Calcutta High Court declines interim relief on namaz at Bankra mosque near Kolkata airport

Kolkata, October 2 : The Calcutta High Court on Thursday declined to grant interim permission for devotees to offer namaz at the Bankra Mosque located within the premises of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on security grounds. The matter will be heard again on October 7.

 

 

Justice Krishna Rao was hearing a petition filed by the Bankra Mosque committee challenging restrictions imposed by airport authorities on entry to the mosque. The committee had sought regulated access for devotees to resume namaz However, the hearing remained inconclusive due to limited time.

 

Senior advocate Kishore Dutta, appearing for the petitioners, told the court that devotees had earlier been allowed to visit the mosque after undergoing security checks. They were transported to the mosque by CISF buses during prayer hours. He argued that access could be managed through a regulated security arrangement instead of completely stopping devotees from entering the mosque.

 

The Centre and airport authorities opposed the plea on security grounds. Additional Solicitor General Dhiraj Kumar Trivedi submitted that the mosque is located within the airport's operational area and close to the runway. The Airports Authority of India also referred to previous security breaches, including instances in which unauthorised persons were found on the airport apron and runway.

 

During the hearing, Justice Rao referred to the recent incident involving a Flydubai flight while discussing the wider nature of aviation security threats. The judge observed that security concerns were not limited to India and noted that incidents could occur anywhere in the world.

 

The mosque is located around 165 metres from the airport's secondary runway and has been flagged by aviation authorities as an obstacle. Restrictions on entry were imposed in July amid security concerns, while discussions over relocating the mosque have also taken place.

 

 

The Bankra Mosque is more than 130 years old and predates the present airport infrastructure. Its location has led to a dispute between mosque authorities and airport officials over access, security and the possibility of relocation.

 

The mosque committee has maintained that worshippers should be allowed to access the site through proper security arrangements. In July, committee president and former West Bengal minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury said the Muslim community could not simply hand over the mosque and called for a peaceful religious solution through discussions with relevant Muslim organisations and the airport authorities.

 

Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy had also alleged in July that security concerns were being used to push for relocation of the mosque. He had called for consultation with the local minority community before any administrative decision was taken.