Amid escalating tensions over the Sinjauli mosque in Shimla, a Muslim welfare committee on Thursday, September 12, urged the municipal commissioner to seal the unauthorised portion and offered to demolish it in accordance with a court order. The panel comprises the mosque's imam and members of the Waqf board and the mosque management committee.
A committee delegation made the request in a representation to Municipal Commissioner Bhupendra Attri and said Muslims living in the locality are permanent residents of Himachal Pradesh, and the committee was taking the step to preserve harmony and brotherhood.
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 the Mosque) is illegal, let us know, and we are ready to remove it ourselves."
"We have sought permission from the Shimla municipal commissioner to demolish the unauthorised part of the mosque situated in Sanjauli," member of the welfare committee Mufti Mohammad Shafi Kasmi said. The Imam of the Sanjauli mosque said, "There is no pressure on us, we have been living here for decades and this decision has been taken as a Himachali. We want to stay in peace and brotherhood should prevail."
Members of the Dev Bhoomi Sangarh Committee who had given the protest call against the unauthorised construction in the mosque welcomed the move. "We welcome the move of the Muslim community and would be the first to hug them for taking this initiative in the larger interest," member of the Samiti Vijay Sharma said.
Municipal Commissioner of Shimla Bhupender Kumar Attri said," 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. 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."
"We gave this application because...all the people of Himachal Pradesh have been living with harmony for decades. We want to stay in harmony and love in the future as well. It shouldn't be given a political angle...so we gave this application that we will demolish that part ourselves...we are not doing it under any pressure, we have only pressure that is to maintain the harmony," Sanjauli Mosque Imam Shaizad Alam said.
Hindu organisations demanding the demolition of the disputed structure in the mosque and the registration of outsiders coming to the state had given the call for the Sanjauli bandh on Wednesday.
The municipal corporation's court is hearing the case of the unauthorised or illegal construction of some floors in the mosque. Last Thursday, Hindu groups staged massive protests at the Chaura Maidan here, in the vicinity of the Vidhan Sabha and Sanjauli, to press for their demands.