Amid the row over an illegal mosque in Shimla, representatives of the Muslim welfare committee on 12th September submitted a memorandum to the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Bhupender Kumar Attri. They requested the commissioner to issue orders to seal the unauthorised portion of the illegal mosque at Sanjauli. They added that the welfare committee would demolish the illegal part of the structure themselves in accordance with the court order. The representatives included the Imam of the mosque, members of the Waqf board, and members of the mosque management committee.
They claimed that the Muslims living in the area are permanent residents of Himachal Pradesh. The committee representatives said they would take steps to preserve harmony and brotherhood in the region. Speaking to PTI, Mufti Mohammad Shafi Kasmi of the welfare committee said, “We have sought permission from the Shimla municipal commissioner to demolish the unauthorised part of the mosque situated in Sanjauli.”
The Imam of the Sanjauli mosque said, “There is no pressure on us; we have been living here for decades, and this decision has been taken as Himachalis. We want to stay in peace, and brotherhood should prevail.” MC Commissioner Attri confirmed receipt of the representation from the members of the welfare committee.
Members of the Dev Bhoomi Sangarsh Committee, who had called for protests against the unauthorised construction in the mosque, have welcomed the move. A member of the committee, Vijay Sharma, said, “We welcome the move of the Muslim community and would be the first to hug them for taking this initiative in the larger interest.”
The representation by the Muslim community representatives was submitted a day after protesters demanded the demolition of the illegal portion of the mosque in Sanjauli, Shimla, which led to clashes with security personnel on 11th September. The protesting members of the Hindu community broke the barricades and pelted stones after police used water cannons and batons to disperse them. Ten people, including police personnel and women, were reported injured in the clashes.
Vikramaditya Singh, a minister of the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government, expressed concerns over the escalation of the situation. He said he was keeping a close watch on the developments and was in touch with the central leadership and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. He stated, “We are in touch with the central leadership and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. I have also spoken with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and party in-charge Rajiv Shukla, and they are concerned that there should be no deterioration in the law and order situation.”
Earlier, traders’ union Shimla Vyapar Mandal called for half-day bandh over police lathicharge on Hindu protesters on 12th September from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Protests against the illegal structure in Shimla
On 11th September, protesting members of the Hindu community raised slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” and “Hindu Ekta Zindabad” as they gathered at Sabzi Mandi Dhalli. They marched towards the Sanjauli market despite prohibitory orders by the administration. On the way, they broke barricades erected by the police near the Dhalli tunnel and gathered at Sanjauli Chowk.
When they attempted to enter Sanjauli and broke a second barricade near the mosque, the police used batons and water cannons to disperse them. Some of the protesters were detained by the police. Kamal Gautam, secretary of the Hindu Jagram Manch, was one of the detained protesters. Despite the use of force by the police, the protesters refused to leave and continued to raise slogans against the administration.
Background of the issue
The 14-year-long dispute took a violent turn when some Muslim youths launched a deadly assault with rods and sticks on Hindu traders in the Malyana region on 30th August. 37-year-old businessman Vikram Singh endured critical injuries while four other businessmen were also hurt. The incident further escalated the tensions as the local Hindu community took to the streets to protest against the attack as well as the illegal mosque.
Waqf Board recently gave a submission to a Shimla court that it owns the mosque and the argument was only about its further development. The Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner’s court heard both parties in the mosque case and fixed the next hearing for 5th October.
On the other hand, the matter was also raised in the state assembly which sparked disagreements among the leaders of the ruling Congress party. According to MLA Harish Janartha, the mosque was built on land owned by the Waqf Board before 1960. He did, however, add that three stories were erected unlawfully in 2010 and asserted that they were taken down. He claimed that both outsiders and local Muslims were using the mosque and alleged that some elements were exacerbating the problem.
Minister Anuridh Singh, however, refuted him during his speech in the house and pointed out, “I am not against any community but they started work in 2010 without permission. Afterwards, unauthorised construction of 2500 square feet was completed. A hearing was again held on the matter in 2012, however, these people didn’t comply. There were four more illegally built floors by 2019. How was the four-story building constructed by 2019 when the lawsuit was still pending in 2010? Where was the administration sleeping? There’s another surprising detail, the government of Himachal Pradesh owns the land (where the mosque is built).” He also asked how a map was approved on the government land.
He further added, “Our administration does not oppose anyone. However, I would ask the chief minister to ascertain the origins of every person involved in this. Women now find it challenging to go around the Sanjauli market. Objectionalibale comments are passed. I have personally witnessed it. They have a habit of engaging in illegal activities. They built a 5-storey mosque. This entire matter should be investigated.”
