Protest over Shimla mosque: Representatives of the a Muslim welfare committee on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bhupender Kumar Attri and asked the civic body to seal the unauthorised portion of the structure at Sanjauli, adding that it would demolish that part itself in accordance with a court order.
The panel comprises the Imam of the mosque and members of the Waqf board and the mosque management committee, news agency PTI reported.
A delegation of the committee made the request in a representation to Bhupendra Attri and said Muslims living in the locality are permanent residents of Himachal Pradesh and it was taking the step to preserve harmony and brotherhood.
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“We have sought permission from the Shimla municipal commissioner to demolish the unauthorised part of the mosque situated in Sanjauli,” PTI quoted member of the welfare committee Mufti Mohammad Shafi Kasmi as saying.
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 a Himachali. We want to stay in peace and brotherhood should prevail.”
Attri confirmed receipt of the representation.
Members of the Dev Bhoomi Sangarh Committee who had given the protest call against the unauthorised construction in the mosque welcomed the move.
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“We welcome the move of the Muslim community and would be the first to hug them for taking this initiative in the larger interest,” member of the samiti Vijay Sharma said.
The development comes a day after protesters demanding the demolition of an illegal portion of a mosque in Shimla’s Sanjauli area clashed with security personnel on Wednesday, breaking barricades and pelting stones as police used water cannons and baton charged to disperse them. About 10 people including police and women were injured.
Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh said the government was seriously concerned over escalation of the situation and keeping a close watch on all the developments.
“We are in touch with the central leadership and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and myself have talked to party president Mallikarjun Kharge and party in-charge Rajiv Shukla and they are also concerned that there was no deterioration in law and order situation,” he said.
Raising slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” and “Hindu Ekta Zindabad”, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Sabzi Mandi Dhalli and marched towards Sanjauli market, defying prohibitory orders and ignoring warnings by the administration. They broke barricades erected near the Dhalli tunnel while another crowd gathered at Sanjauli Chowk.
As the protesters gathered on the call of some Hindu groups entered Sanjauli and broke a second barricade near the mosque, police baton charged and used water cannons to disperse them.
Police detained some protesters as well, including Hindu Jagran Manch secretary Kamal Gautam, and erected the barricade near the mosque again but the protesters refused to leave and continued raising slogans against the administration.
The outbreak of the clash left students in Sanjauli, Dhalli and adjoining areas stranded in schools. Residents vented their anger at the administration for not ordering the schools to remain closed for the day despite being aware of the demonstration.
They said several school managements were awaiting directions from the district administration to send the children back home.
(With inputs from PTI)
