Himachal mosque row: Hindu outfits’ scuffle with police in Kullu; Muslim body says no masjid illegal

Shimla, Sep 30 (PTI) As protests demanding the demolition of illegally constructed mosques rage on in Himachal Pradesh, a Muslim organisation said that there were no illegal mosques in the state but delay in approval of maps in government records was causing a problem.

Hindu outfits that took out a yatra in Kullu demanding the demolition of the mosque were involved in a scuffle with police on Monday.

Amid tight security, protesters of the ‘Hindu Dharam Jagaran Yatra’ marched from Hanuman temple to Akhara Mosque chanting the Hanuman Chalisa.

Protesters gathered in large numbers, women included, carrying placards and saffron flags with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ written on it as they called for the demolition of the mosque in Kullu. Musicians playing local instruments and women in traditional dress dancing to Kullu folk music led the yatra.

Besides calling for the demolition of the mosque, the protesters also demanded scrapping of the Waqf Board. They said that if the Kullu mosque is authorised then the administration should show its papers to the leaders of the Hindu outfits.

The demand for the demolition of “illegally” constructed mosques began after a scuffle between a Muslim barber and a Hindu businessman in Malyana area in the suburbs of Shimla on August 30 turned into a communal issue.

Hindu groups have been demanding the demolition of mosques they say are unauthorised, and are calling for the identification of “outsiders” coming into the state.

Meanwhile, Muslim Welfare Committee, Mandi president Naheem Ahmed told PTI on Monday: “No mosque in Himachal Pradesh is illegal but there has been a delay in getting the maps approved and other related processes. We would ourselves remove the structures if found illegal.”

He said that a meeting of representatives of the Muslim community was held in the Balh area of Mandi on Sunday.

It was decided that a state-level committee of the minority community would be constituted and they would meet the chief minister to apprise him of the prevailing situation, Ahmed said.

He said that Muslim leaders were of the view that some people are spreading hatred and such practices should be curbed. Every person coming from outside irrespective of his religion should be checked, he added.

Earlier, on Sunday, Kullu district authorities said that the mosque at Akhara Bazaar was not illegal.

There was a some difference between the area of the mosque in government records and the actual area covered by it, district authorities said, adding that the case for its regularisation was pending with the town and country planning department.

The total area of the mosque is 980 square metres, and a deviation of around 150 square metres was found, they said.

The Jama Masjid in Kullu is a pre-Independence structure and finds entry in the gazette notification, dated August 15, 1970 of the state government.

Earlier on September 11, ten people were injured during a protest demanding the demolition of a portion of a mosque in Sanjauli area of Shimla.

Two days later, similar protests erupted in Mandi and water cannons had to be used to disperse protesters.

The residents of Kasumpti, Shimla also submitted a memorandum to demolish a mosque in the Kasumpti area. Residents of Sunni and other areas in the state have also made similar demands.