NEW DELHI, INDIA – In a major development that has reignited the debate over religious structures on government property in the heart of the national capital, the Central Government on Monday, November 3, 2026, at 08:28 AM IST, informed the Delhi High Court that it intends to "remove" a century-old mosque located inside the Krishi Bhawan premises.
The statement was made before a Delhi High Court bench during a hearing on a petition filed by the mosque management committee challenging eviction notices.
According to an Indian Express report published today at 08:28 AM, the Centre argued that retaining the mosque structure within the office complex of Krishi Bhawan – which houses the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and is located in the highly secured Lutyens' Delhi zone near Kartavya Path, formerly Rajpath – is "impermissible and incompatible with the secular character of Government property".
Krishi Bhawan, along with Shastri Bhawan, is one of the most iconic government buildings built during the British era. The buildings are now slated for demolition under the Central Vista redevelopment project to make way for the new Common Central Secretariat buildings called Kartavya Bhawans.
The Mosque – History:
Local records and Delhi Waqf Board documents suggest the mosque, known as Krishi Bhawan Masjid or the Sunehri Bagh area small mosque, is over 100 years old and predates the construction of Krishi Bhawan itself in the 1950s. Staff members, including Muslim employees of the Agriculture Ministry, and visitors used it for daily prayers.
Government officials, however, claim the structure was a temporary prayer facility and was never notified as protected Waqf property in official gazettes.
Court Proceedings Today:
Appearing for the Centre, the Additional Solicitor General told the court that government offices must remain secular spaces and that no religious structure can occupy valuable office land in central Delhi, especially when the entire complex is being redeveloped.
After hearing both sides, the court did not pass any eviction order immediately. It granted the Masjid's committee time to respond to the Government's submission by the next hearing date, November 23, 2026.
"List the matter on November 23 for further hearing. The petitioner may file rejoinder/response," the court order stated.
Legal & Community Reaction:
The Delhi Waqf Board and several Muslim organizations have expressed concern. An advocate for the mosque committee argued that the mosque has been in existence for over a century and its removal would hurt the religious sentiments of Muslim employees who work in Krishi Bhawan and surrounding government offices like Shastri Bhawan, Rail Bhawan, and Krishi Bhawan itself.
"This is not about secularism; this is about erasing Muslim heritage from Lutyens Delhi," said a member of the committee who did not wish to be named.
Legal experts say the case will test the balance between secularism and religious freedom. Under Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution, citizens have the right to practice religion, but government property is expected to remain neutral.
Comparison with Other Cases:
This case comes just days after the Delhi High Court dealt with another mosque issue – the Race Course mosque near the Prime Minister's residence, where the court on October 29 said it would take no action for four weeks. That mosque is said to be nearly 300 years old.
Similarly, on November 3 itself, a court in Varanasi ruled that Muslim gatherings at the historic Gyanvapi mosque should be limited to 20 people after a survey found Hindu relics.
This exclusive breaking news on the Krishi Bhawan mosque removal was first monitored and exclusively reported by Islam Global News – Truth, Justice, A Better Tomorrow.
