Simmering dissent against 'illegal' mosque turns into massive protest in Shimla

Shimla: Hindu outfits in Shimla staged a massive protest on Thursday after days of simmering dissent against the 'illegal' construction of a mosque in the Sanjauli area of the state capital.

Holding the Tricolour, the protesters comprising BJP activists and others demanded demolition of the structure, claiming that the Waqf Board illegally occupied the land and built a mosque on it.

“The masjid has been constructed illegally for 10 years but no action has been taken so far. It should be demolished by the government,” a protester demanded.

Local authorities said the protest intensified after some Muslim 'miscreants' attacked a man who was against the construction of the mosque.

“The agitation intensified after the assault incident. Even people from the nearby villages joined the protest today,” said a police officer requesting anonymity owing to the sensitivity of the issue.

The protesters are demanding that the antecedents of the local Muslims should be verified by the police to know their origin as they suspect some of them to be Rohingyas or Bangladeshis.

Responding to the row over the construction of the mosque, Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh told the media, “For a long time the issue of building a mosque in Sanjauli has been gaining momentum. The government is taking action as far as the structural illegality is concerned.”

Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh said, “Illegal constructions should not be tolerated anywhere in the state. The mosque issue was raised before the Municipal Corporation in 2010, and there have been around 44 hearings in courts. Despite this, the construction was carried out illegally.”

“When ordinary citizens violate rules, they face immediate action. So why has this issue been overlooked for so long? What is illegal is illegal, whether it's a temple or a mosque,” he added.

Anirudh Singh also urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to maintain records of illegal immigrants and to verify their police backgrounds to find out whether they're coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh, or even from within India.

On Wednesday, the issue of unauthorised construction of the mosque was raised in the Vidhan Sabha.

Responding to the issue raised under Rule 62 by Balbir Verma and Harish Janartha, Vikramaditya Singh urged all concerned to tread cautiously on a sensitive issue like this.

“Himachal is known for maintaining communal harmony and all communities have been living here peacefully. I assure that action will be taken as per the law. The case is also being pursued by the Municipal Corporation,” he said.