Mysuru: In a bid to end the row over the re-opening plans of the Masjid (Aleema Sadiya Education Institution and Masjid-E-Siddique-E-Akbar Trust) located on Kyathamaranahalli Main Road in Gayathripuram second stage in the city, Deputy Commissioner (DC) G. Lakshmikanth Reddy held a one-on-one meeting with minority community leaders and Hindu leaders at his Office on Bannur Road in Siddarthanagar here this morning.

The meeting was a closed door one and all the participants were allowed to air their opinion regarding the matter. The meeting was attended by City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, DCP (Law and Order) M. Muthuraju, MCC Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif, MCC Deputy Commissioner J. Somashekar and other officials.

After the meeting concluded, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy said that only  opinions of the leaders who participated in the meeting had been noted down. As the matter is in the High Court, he cannot comment on it right now, he added.

Speaking to presspersons after the meeting, former Corporator K.C. Showkath Pasha said that the minority community leaders have pressed for re-opening of the place of the worship in question as the areas in the vicinity of the spot have returned to complete normalcy.

Asserting that the place of worship is only a Madrasa and not a Masjid as claimed by some, Showkath Pasha said that the Trust had run the Madrasa for four years, when the unfortunate incident happened, following which it was shut down in 2016.

Pointing out that the Trust had started the Madrasa after getting due permission from the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) in 2009, he said that his community leaders had appealed the District Administration to re-open the place of worship and to grant permission for running the Madrasa again, with peace having returned and harmony in place.

Maintaining that there was no politics behind the demand for re-opening, he reiterated that it is not a Masjid and only a Madrasa, which was run for a few years before it was shut down following the violence.

Hindu leader Shivakumar said that all the Hindu leaders have urged the District Administration to maintain status quo and not to allow re-open of the place of worship in question.

Noting that  the Masjid or the Madrasa, as claimed by the minority community leaders, should not be permitted to re-open for any reason, he said that the area is now peaceful and as such no controversial decisions should be taken that would disturb peace and harmony in the area.

Pointing out that violence broke out following the brutal murder of Hindu activist Raju at Kyathamaranahalli in 2016, he said that the people of the locality are absolute in their opinion for maintaining status quo and as such the authorities should not permit carrying out any activities at the place of worship in question, which remains closed.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Karnataka High Court, while hearing a petition concerning the case last week, has asked all the parties concerned and local residents to come up with their opinion regarding re-opening of the place of worship within 12 weeks.