Himachal: Demolition of Three Floors of Sanjauli Mosque Begins 

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The mosque committee chief says the measure has been taken to end the ongoing controversy so that brotherhood between the two communities is maintained

Waquar Hasan | Clarion India

NEW DELHI – Weeks after an intense hate campaign launched by some Hindutva groups, the Sanjauli Mosque Committee in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla on Monday started demolishing the contentious three storeys of the place of worship following a letter from the estate officer of the Himachal Waqf Board to the president of the committee.

Addressing reporters on Monday, Mohammed Lateef, president of the mosque committee, said he has taken the step for the sake of maintaining brotherhood between the two communities.

“We have started implementing what we had said. If anyone wants to move the court in this regard, he is free to go. No one can stop anyone from going to the court. But we are still bound by our words. The Waqf Board allowed us to take this step,” said Lateef.

According to him, the main issue in demolishing the three floors is related to funding. Neither the government nor the public will give funds for this purpose. They will have to put in their personal money for this.

He said that it would take 2-3 months to demolish the three floors. Due to the fund crunch, it may even take a longer time.

“We have taken this step to end the ongoing controversy and so that brotherhood between two communities is maintained. This is why we have come forward,” said Lateef.

On Saturday, the estate officer of the Waqf Board wrote to the president of the mosque committee asking it to follow the order of the Shimla Municipal Court. In the letter which was reviewed by Clarion India, the Waqf officer cited the order of the court asking it to demolish the three floors of the mosque.

“You are hereby directed to comply with aforesaid orders dated 5-10-2024 strictly in accordance with the directions so issued by the Ld Commissioner, MC Shimla in its letter and spirit by taking all the precautionary and safety measures at your own risk and cost and also to give prior information before carrying out the said work to the District Administration, Police Authorities, Municipal Corporation and HP Waqf Board, so as to avoid any untoward incident and also in order to maintain law and order situation as are required to be taken on your part,” reads the letter.

A copy of the letter was also sent to the district’s Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police, and the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation.

The letter cited the operative part of the order given by the municipal court. The order said: “Keeping in view the provisions of the Development Plan, 2041 which is a vogue for the Shimla Planning Area, (wherein, proposed two storey structure has been made permissible subject to fulfillment of all formalities) and in view of the discussion made herein, above, the President, Sanjauli Masjid Committee is permitted to remove three floors i.e 2nd floor, 3rd floor and 4th floor (habitable sloping roof as an interim measure”.

On 5 October, the Municipal Court had passed the order in this regard.

It may be mentioned that following a massive hate campaign in Shimla, demanding the demolition of the mosque, the committee had given an undertaking to the Municipal Court commissioner offering to demolish the unauthorised portion of the mosque themselves.

Following a fight between two groups from two communities in Sanjauli, Hindutva outfits launched protests demanding the demolition of the mosque which was built in 1947. State ministers in the Congress government supported the campaign and grave allegations were levelled against the mosque and Muslims.

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