Shimla Mosque Protest: Muslim Panel Offers To Demolish 'Illegal' Portion Day After Protests
Shimla traders' union called for a bandh on Thursday to protest against the police action on demonstrators over alleged illegal construction of a mosque.
Muslim panel offered to raze down the alleged "illegal" portion of a mosque in the Sanjauli area of Shimla which became a flashpoint of protests on Wednesday with clashes between demonstrators and police. A 12-member delegation including Imam Jama Masjid Mosque, Shimla submitted a memorandum Municipal Commissioner of Shimla Bhupender Kumar Attri requesting to seal that part of the building which is said to be illegal.
"President of the Sanjauli Mosque and Maulvi, with a 12-member delegation, met me and submitted a memorandum. They requested peace and harmony in their region," Attri told ANI.
"They said that their area is peaceful and there has been brotherhood between different communities. So, they have requested that Municipal Corporation should seal that part of the building which is said to be illegal...they also said that if the judgement comes to remove that part, they are ready to do that as well...," he added.
#WATCH | Sanjauli Mosque Row | Muslim Cleric Meets Municipal Commissioner of Shimla Bhupender Kumar Attri. pic.twitter.com/qDDr3wEyGd
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2024
Mufti Mohammed Shafi Kasmi, Imam Jama Masjid Mosque, Shimla said: " We have said in it (memorandum) that, in this area, there is a huge requirement of brotherhood (between communities) in this border state. We have always lived here in harmony so to maintain... if a portion (of Mosque) is illegal, let us know and we are ready to remove it ourselves"
Shimla Traders' Union Calls Bandh
Shops remained shut on Thursday in Shimla, a day after Hindu outfits staged a protest against the alleged illegal construction of the mosque in the Sanjauli area of the city. The protestors tried to reach the mosque site by breaking police barricades after which police resorted to lathi charge and the use of water cannons to disperse the crowd.
On Thursday, the Shimla Beopar Mandal gave a call for bandh after which shops remained closed in the famous tourist hill city. Members of the traders' union also took out a protest march condemning police action against the demonstrators.
The Protestors had gathered on the call of some Hindu groups at the Sabzi Mandi Dhalli and marched towards Sanjauli market, raising slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" and "Hindu Ekta Zindabad". They defied prohibitory orders and ignored warnings by the administration.
VIDEO | Sanjauli mosque row: Shops remain closed in Shimla as the Shimla Beopar Mandal has called for a bandh today.#ShimlaNews #ShimlaProtests #Sanjaulimosque
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 12, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/ZoAwfpOqNs
The agitators broke a barricade erected near the Dhalli tunnel while another crowd gathered at Sanjauli Chowk. As they broke a second barricade near the mosque, police baton charged and used water cannons to disperse them.
Some protestors were detained by the police including Hindu Jagran Manch secretary Kamal Gautam
VIDEO | Sanjauli mosque row: Members of Shimla Beopar Mandal take out a protest march during the bandh called by the organisation in the hill city today.#ShimlaNews #ShimlaProtests #Sanjaulimosque
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 12, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/tngllLhboQ
Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that the government was seriously concerned over the escalation of the situation. He also said that the government was 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 the law and order situation," he said.
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