The current conflict regarding the Sanjauli Mosque in the Shimla district has once more captured the spotlight as the demolition of the mosque’s illegal sections has commenced. The upper levels of the mosque are being dismantled in accordance with the directives issued by the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on 3rd December. The Shimla Municipal Corporation has initiated the action after it secured government funding.
Two floors were taken down in the initial phase and the demolition of the third floor is at present underway. The mosque originally consisted of five stories and concerns have been expressed regarding the legality of its construction.
During the hearing, a single-judge bench led by Justice Ajay Mohan Goel indicated that the lower two levels of the mosque should remain unchanged for the time being while the upper three levels which are considered unlawful, must be taken down. The court instructed the Commissioner of the Shimla Municipal Corporation to carry out the verdict in compliance with the law.
The Dev Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti increased its pressure on the municipal corporation in light of the judgement to take action against the unauthorised structure. Its members submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner, demanding the immediate demolition. The committee asserted that its purpose was not to create any discord but to ensure compliance with the court’s ruling.
The Himachal Pradesh State Waqf Board, along with the mosque committee, previously contested the orders issued by the municipal court in the district court. Nevertheless, the district court affirmed the municipal commissioner’s decision and mandated the demolition of the unlawful structure by 30th December. Afterward, the Waqf Board appealed to the high court. The subsequent hearing for the case is set for 9th March.
Background of the matter, concerns of Hindus
Hindus have already expressed their concerns regarding the orchestrated demographic change, the influx of outside Muslims into the area, and the harassment that Hindu females have been experiencing from those coming to offer namaz at the mosque. Multiple incidents of voyeurism, stalking have been reported by locals, stating that some mosque visitors even peek inside Hindu houses and pass comments on women.
According to Kamal Gautam, a member of the committee, the matter caught public attention on 30th August, when a group of 5 to 6 Muslim immigrants assaulted a local youth and injured his head. The accused were sheltered in a mosque, from where they were nabbed by the police. Incidents like this have exhausted the patience of local Hindus. The peace of the hills has been plagued by rising crime committed by the Muslim immigrants. The illegal mosque in Sanjauli has become a haven for such criminals.
Massive protests erupted on 5th and 11th September. These sparks had been simmering for years. According to Vijay Sharma, the Muslim population in the area was about 3% but their has significantly increased in a short period of time. Infiltrators from outside, including Bangladeshi nationals, Rohingyas, and Muslims from other states, have contributed to this increase in the local Muslim population.
Sharma said that tailor Mohammad Salim who arrived in Sanjauli in 1990 occupied a piece of government land after a school built on it was shifted. Salim constructed a single-story structure on it, which gradually transformed into a multi-storey building. He developed the structure into a mosque. For political gains, Salim was granted an NOC from the Waqf Board for the mosque.
