The Sanjauli Mosque in Shimla has become the focus of a significant legal and social development, as its committee starts the long-awaited demolition of three illegally constructed storeys following the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board’s approval. The demolition is in response to an order from the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner’s Court, after years of controversy surrounding unauthorized construction on the site.
The Sanjauli Mosque has been at the center of a legal dispute that traces its roots back to 2010. That year, the mosque committee erected pillars on the site without proper authorization, prompting the Shimla Municipal Corporation to issue a notice. The committee moved ahead with additional construction, eventually building three illegal storeys between 2015 and 2018. In 2019, the Municipal Corporation issued another notice, but no concrete action followed for several years.
The Waqf Board, which owns the land, was also served notices over the years, with the latest one issued in July 2023. Despite mounting pressure, the illegal construction was not addressed until recently. The issue escalated after protests and political intervention brought it back into the public spotlight.
Tensions surrounding the mosque increased in August 2024, when a violent incident between two communities in Shimla’s Malyana area brought further attention to the illegal construction. The dispute escalated when six individuals involved in the scuffle sought refuge inside the mosque, prompting a protest outside the mosque led by Congress councilor Neetu Thakur. The protest, which saw hundreds of people gather, intensified the calls for action against the illegal floors, leading to renewed scrutiny of the mosque’s construction.
The issue was further amplified in September when Cabinet Minister Aniruddh Singh raised concerns in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, accusing Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants of infiltrating the state. Singh produced documents showing that the mosque had been built on government land without proper authorization. The minister claimed that the matter had been raised 44 times over the past 14 years, yet no action had been taken. Singh’s demands for immediate demolition sparked protests from Hindu organisations, further escalating tensions.
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