Mob demanding razing of ‘illegal’ Shimla mosque clashes with cops, 10 hurt | Shimla News – Times of India

SHIMLA: Seeking the demolition of a mosque allegedly constructed illegally, protesters defied prohibitory orders and clashed with police in Sanjauli area here Wednesday.
Cops had to resort to lathi charge and used water cannons to disperse the mob after it upended barricades and hurled stones. Four protesters and six cops were injured and were taken to hospital.Some of the agitators were detained.
Various outfits, including Hindu Jagran Manch, went ahead with their planned protest at Sanjauli despite prohibitory orders issued by the Shimla district magistrate and deployment of a heavy police force.
Himachal Pradesh public works minister Vikramaditya Singh later said the mosque would be demolished if the Shimla municipal commissioner’s court found it to be illegal. “The state govt is bound to follow the rule of law,” he said.
The minister said the Congress govt is “sensitive” towards the cause of the state’s people and stands with them. “This case is pending for the last 10 years in the Shimla municipal commissioner’s court. BJP governed the state for five years during this period. Shimla mayor too was from BJP,” Singh said.
Former Himachal CM and leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the use of force and water cannons on people protesting for their demands was unfortunate.
“Appropriate action should have been taken when it was known that the construction was illegal rather than hurting people’s sentiments by using force against them. The state govt was insensitive in handling this issue. No action was taken under pressure from Congress high command,” he said.
The Congress leadership is learnt to have told the state unit led by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to maintain peace and settle the issue as per law. While the upcoming court hearing on the issue will decide the course ahead, AICC sources said that last week, party president Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to minister Anirudh Singh, who had made provocative remarks on the issue. There is resentment in the party that govt lapses allowed BJP to turn a small issue of encroachment into a public protest, sources added.
The case is listed for next hearing on Oct 5.