The All Himachal Muslim’s Organisation says the land belongs to the Waqf Board and the contentious three storeys of the 125-year-old mosque are not illegal
Team Clarion
SHIMLA — The All Himachal Muslim’s Organisation (AHMO) has announced plans to challenge an order to demolish parts of the Sanjauli mosque, claiming it lacks proper authorisation. The decision, initially made by Shimla Municipal Commissioner’s Court, has ignited controversy.
The court had on October 5 ordered the demolition of three “unauthorised” stories of the five-storey Sanjauli mosque. It gave two months to the Waqf Board and the president of the Mosque Committee to execute the orders. The court observed that the committee had itself offered to demolish the unauthorised portion of the mosque.
The AHMO on Wednesday voiced concerns over rights infringements, stating that the mosque’s three stories are not illegal and highlighted the site’s cultural and historical significance, a PTI report said.
“A meeting of the organisation held here to review the order of the MC Court unanimously concluded that the persons who gave undertaking to demolish the unauthorised stories of the mosque had no authority to make any such submission and the orders passed by the MC Court are contrary to the facts,” said AHMO state spokesperson Nazakat Ali Hashmi was quoted as saying.
He said the land belongs to the Waqf Board. The mosque is 125 years old and the contentious storeys are not illegal, he added.
Hashmi said even though the approval of maps is lying with the authorities, the MC Court ordered the demolition of the storeys.
“The matter regarding curbing of our rights, unsuccessful attempt to damage our religious places and hurting our sentiments would be taken to the Supreme Court,” he added.
Referring to the Mosque Committee members, Hashmi said the people who gave representation and which was made the basis for passing the order were neither authorised by the Waqf Board nor were they the office-bearers of any Muslim organisation.
“It was their personal opinion and the Muslim community does not agree with it,” he said.
Hashmi said the MC Court passed the orders on the basis of the application of some individuals and did not bother to ascertain the owner of the land, the stakeholders, those who are authorised to demolish the structure and those who are authorised to plead the case.
“We will appeal in the court of the appellate authority after we receive the certified copy of the order and fight till the Supreme Court,” the report quoted Hashmi as saying.
On September 11, 10 people were injured during a protest demanding the demolition of a portion of the mosque.
A day later, the Muslim Welfare Committee gave a representation to the municipal corporation commissioner asking to seal an unauthorised portion of the mosque and said they would themselves demolish the unauthorised portion.
“We had already offered to demolish the unauthorised floors of the mosque on September 12 and we have no objection to the order. We are ready to demolish the unauthorised floors,” Sanjauli Mosque Committee president Muhammad Latif had said.
After the Sanjauli protest, water cannons were used in Mandi on protests demanding the demolition of encroachment by a mosque on government land in Mandi town.
Similar demands were raised at several other places in the state which were followed by protests in district headquarters demanding scrapping of the Waqf Board and the identification and verification of migrants coming to work in the state. — With PTI inputs