Peterborough City Council in the United Kingdom has sold a plot of land to a Muslim organisation. The organisation, the United Kingdom Islamic Mission, wants to build a mosque and Islamic centre there. This has angered the Hindu community, which says a temple of theirs stood on the land. But the land on which the temple stands is owned by Peterborough City Council. The council says it followed its normal land-disposal rules and acted within its legal powers.
Peterborough City Council sold the property on the open market to help repay about £500 million in debt, and the plot was allotted to the mosque group as the highest bidder. The Hindu community is contesting the land in a legal fight. But the council’s lawyer, Catherine Rowlands, told the court that the sale process was transparent, fair and lawful. After hearing both sides, the judge issued an interim stay on the sale process.
The mosque authorities said their current premises were not big enough. They want to build a mosque and Islamic centre at the new site, with classrooms and sports facilities as well as a place for prayers. The council said it had assessed the bids on the basis of planning, valuation and administrative criteria rather than religious preference.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report