Sanjauli Mosque row: Protest erupts in Shimla amid prohibitory orders

Locals clashed with police personnel in Sanjauli area

Protestors, including members of some Hindu groups, gathered in the Dhalli area of Shimla on Wednesday and held a protest against the alleged illegal construction of a mosque in the Sanjauli area.

The police used water cannons to disperse the crowd, whose main demand include the demolition of the alleged illegal structure.

The Sanjauli mosque matter, which has been sub-judice for the last 14 years, flared up into several mass protests after a businessman was allegedly attacked by some Muslim youths during a fight in the nearby Malyana area.

Prohibitory order was imposed in Shimla today over the 'unauthorised' Sanjauli mosque. District Magistrate Anupam Kashyap's order restricted the assembly of five or more persons in public places in the Sanjauli area from 7 am to 11:59 pm on September 11 due to the prevailing law and order situation.

The state police on Tuesday deployed heavy security cover to prevent any untoward law and order situation. The officials also inspected each vehicle to prevent any kind of mishap during the protests.

On September 6, the Hindu right bodies staged massive protests at Chaura Maidan in the vicinity of the Vidhan Sabha and Sanjauli demanding the demolition of an "illegal" mosque in Sanjauli area. The matter, which has been sub-judice for the last 14 years, flared up into several mass protests after a businessman was allegedly attacked by some Muslim youths during a fight in the nearby Malyana area.

On the alleged construction issue of Sanjauli mosque, Leader of Opposition in Himachal Pradesh Assembly Jairam Thakur said there has never been a tension related to any community but the situation is moving in that direction.

"We brought a policy that all street vendors are welcome but they have to go through the process of identity registration and verification. Congress has stopped this activity for the last 20 months. The streets are filled with people about whom no one knows who they are and where they came from," Thakur said. He added that it is the Congress government's responsibility to maintain law and order in the state.