Bandh observed in Shimla; mosque panel offers to demolish illegal part
Shimla: Amid increasing pressure on the Shimla administration and rising protests, the managing committee of the controversial mosque has formally offered to demolish the unauthorised portion of the mosque, pending approval from the Shimla Municipal Corporation.
Alternatively, the corporation could issue an order to seal the illegally constructed floors as a measure to address the situation and maintain peace.
The mosque existed at the site of the present day five-storey building since the pre-Independence era but illegal floors were built between 2010 and 2023, primarily the Covid period.
Following protests by the Hindu organisations on Wednesday, a delegation of the Muslim leaders met Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bhupendra Attri on Thursday and submitted a memorandum.
The Imam of the mosque also accompanied other leaders, including Mohammad Latif.
In the memorandum, the mosque management committee said the portion illegal should be sealed for the time being.
“We have also requested the MC Commissioner to allow us to demolish the portion that it considers illegal,” said a member of the delegation.
When asked what prompted the committee to make an offer for this, he said: “This initiative is of goodwill and to ensure the decade-old brotherhood between the two communities is not affected”
He added: “We will accept whatever decision comes from the court of the Municipal Commissioner who is hearing the matter regarding illegal construction. We have no objection if the court pronounces the decision to demolish the illegal portion. If it allows us, we will remove it ourselves,”
Meanwhile, in Shimla, a three-hour bandh was observed and all commercial establishments remained closed to protest against the lathi charge and use of water cannons by the police personnel against the Hindu protesters at Sanjauli.
The call was given by Dev Bhumi Sangarsh Samiti for a bandh between 10 am to 1 pm. There are also reports about protests in Mandi and Bilaspur.
Following the ugly scenes in Himachal, the BJP on Thursday slammed the Congress for police lathicharge on protesters, asking the party to stop appeasement politics in Karnataka and Himachal.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Lok Sabha MP and party national spokesperson Sambit Patra said: “Rahul Gandhi’s ‘mohabbat ki dukan’ is not only getting lathi charged and tear gas fired on Hindus in Himachal Pradesh, it is also engaged in getting stones pelted and slippers thrown at Lord Ganesha’s idols in Karnataka.”
