The demolition of the illegal part of the Sanjauli Masjid in Himachal Pradesh's capital Shimla has begun. On October 5, the Municipal Corporation Commissioner ordered the demolition of the top three floors of the mosque.
The Sanjauli Masjid Committee has been asked to undertake this work at its own expense. After taking the permission of the Waqf Board, the Masjid Committee has started the work of demolishing the illegal part from today.
The mosque was built before 1947, when it had two floors. After this, 3 more illegal floors were built in it. A case was pending against him in the Municipal Corporation Commissioner's court for 14 years.
The issue came to the fore on September 1, when protests broke out outside a mosque after a fight between two communities. Local residents alleged that outsiders were peeping into their homes from the illegal floor of the mosque.
Along with this, a hearing is also going to be held in the Himachal High Court. Local people have filed this application. He says that no decision has been taken in the Corporation Commissioner Court for 14 years. The Commissioner's order to demolish the mosque is also interim. The High Court should ask the Corporation Commissioner to take a complete decision soon.
The chairman of the mosque committee said – permission was taken from the Waqf Board Chairman of Sanjauli Masjid Committee Mohammad Latif said that they are starting the work of demolishing the mosque from today. Also, funds are being collected from local Muslim traders for this work. Permission has also been taken from the Wakf Board following the order of the Municipal Corporation.
Hearing on December 21 in MC Commissioner's Court The case will be heard in the MC Commissioner's Court on December 21. Local people are alleging deliberate delay in the case. Advocate Jagpal said that local people have filed a petition in the court. A hearing will be held regarding this today.
A 5-storied mosque was built without permission in Sanjauli, Shimla, the committee itself has started the demolition of the top 3 floors.
The High Court has ordered to dispose of the case within 8 weeks Advocate Parul, who is defending the case on behalf of a local resident in the Sanjauli Masjid case, said that the Himachal High Court has ordered the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation Shimla to resolve the case within 8 weeks. In fact, just last Saturday, a local resident had filed a petition in the Himachal High Court, requesting the High Court to order the Municipal Corporation Commissioner to dispose of the case at the earliest.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).