In Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi, 27 people, including seven policemen, were injured in police lathicharge during a protest demanding the demolition of a mosque. The protesters allege that the mosque built in Barahat area has been built on government land.
However, the district administration clarified that the mosque is old and built on land belonging to the Muslim community. The administration put up barricades on the Gangotri National Highway to stop the protesters from moving towards the mosque. There was a fierce fight between the protesters and the police to remove it but the police did not allow them to proceed.
Uttarkashi SP Amit Srivastav said that the situation in the city is normal. Adequate police force has been arranged.
The protesters alleged that the stone pelting was part of a conspiracy to worsen the situation After some struggle, the protestors sat on dharna near the barricading and started chanting Hanuman Chalisa. Shortly after, when they tried to remove the barricading, a scuffle broke out between the demonstrators and the police.
Officials said that during this, stone pelting started, after which the police first fired tear gas shells and then lathi-charged. Several protesters and policemen were injured in the lathi charge. At the same time, the protesters alleged that the police were pelted with stones as part of a conspiracy to worsen the situation.
Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Srivastav said that the incident of stone pelting has been taken seriously. It is being verified. The accused will be identified and action will be taken against them. Now the situation in the city is normal and peaceful. Adequate police force is deployed. Security has also been tightened around the mosque.
After the Sanjauli Masjid controversy, protests are taking place at various places
A 5-storied mosque was built without permission in Sanjauli, Shimla, the committee itself has started the demolition of the top 3 floors.
The Sanjauli Masjid in Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, created an uproar in the entire Himachal Pradesh. Hindu organizations also demanded the demolition of illegal mosques in Solan, Mandi, Kullu and Sirmaur districts. After this, a similar case has also come up in Uttarkashi of Uttarakhand. However, the administration says the mosque is legal.
This mosque was built before the independence of the country, when it was only two stories tall. Later three more floors were built illegally. A case was pending against him in the Municipal Corporation Commissioner's court for 14 years.
The matter came to the fore on September 1 when protests broke out outside the mosque following a fight between the two communities. Local residents alleged that people were peeping into their homes from the illegal floor of the mosque.
Municipal Corporation Commissioner's order- Masjid Committee to demolish illegal floor at own expense, work started
On October 5, the Municipal Corporation Commissioner ordered the demolition of the illegal floors of the mosque. The Sanjauli Masjid Committee has been asked to do this work at its own expense. After taking permission from the Waqf Board, the Masjid Committee started the demolition of the illegal part from October 21.
The matter is also to be heard in the Himachal High Court. Local people have applied for this. He says that for 14 years, no decision has been taken yet in the Municipal Corporation Commissioner's Court. The commissioner's order to demolish the mosque is also interim.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
