Shimla Muslim panel offers to demolish illegal structure

A day after Hindu outfits held a massive protest against the “illegal mosque” in Sanjauli, the representatives of the Masjid committee on Thursday offered to demolish the illegal portion of the mosque if permitted.

“We have submitted a memorandum to Shimla MC Commissioner, wherein we have said the portion, which is illegal should be sealed for the time being. And we have also requested the MC Commissioner to allow us to demolish the portion that it considers illegal,” said one member of the delegation.

The delegation said they made this decision to ensure the decade-old brotherhood between the two communities is not affected. “We will accept whatever decision comes from the court. We have no objection if the court pronounces the decision to demolish the illegal portion. If it allows us, we will remove it ourselves,” he said.

A representative further said they had no idea that the construction of a mosque would cause so much inconvenience to the local people that thousands of them would come out in the streets in protest. “If we had known this, we would have asked the Muslims to stop the construction,” he said.

Meanwhile, commercial establishments were closed in many parts of the Himachal Pradesh capital on Thursday in support of protesters who have been demanding the demolition of illegal portions of a mosque in the densely populated Sanjauli area.

The shutdown call from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. was given after scores of protesters, who were demanding the demolition of illegal portions of a mosque, took to the streets and clashed with the police on Wednesday, breaking barricades during the protest.

Most of the private hotels, restaurants and shops were shut as the trade unions participated in the shutdown.

Reports indicate that Shimla-like tension is also prevailing in Mandi and Bilaspur towns, where Hindu outfits have been demanding the demolition of unauthorised mosques that have been mushrooming up in recent years.

The outfits argue that the population of the Muslims in the state is less than two per cent of the total population of over 68 lakh and question the funds they are getting to set up places of worship at several places.

On Wednesday, protesters, largely locals, marched towards Sanjauli to lodge their protest and demand the demolition of a portion of the five-floor mosque.

Police had to use mild lathi-charge and water cannons to disperse the crowds as they tried to remove the barricades at the Dhalli tunnel. Later, they staged a sit-in protest, blocking the road leading to Sanjauli and dispersed.