SHIMLA: After Sanjauli and Mandi, some residents and organisations have sought the demolition of another “illegal” mosque in Shimla, alleging it had become “a place for gathering of various unidentified and non-local people”.
A delegation led by Shimla’s former deputy mayor and BJP leader Rakesh Sharma and local councillor Rachna Sharma on Tuesday handed over a memorandum to deputy commissioner Anupam Kashyap for demolition of the mosque in Kasumpti area.They also met Shimla municipal commissioner Bhupinder Attri.
Sharma claimed the mosque was built on land belonging to central govt, and former chief minister Virbhadra Singh of Congress had refused to attend its inauguration in 2016-17, when he was apprised of its illegal construction. He claimed the mosque authorities, after losing the case before the Shimla municipal commissioner’s court last year, had filed an appeal.
The former mayor further claimed that according to the Waqf Board Act, a mosque can only be constructed if a minimum of 40 Muslim families were residing in an area. However, as many families were not staying in Kasumpti and even surrounding areas of New Shimla, Beoliya and Malyana, he said. Unknown people could be seen thronging the Kasumpti mosque, especially on Fridays, Sharma claimed.
Protests have been taking place in various parts of Himachal Pradesh for the past several days over “illegal” mosques and influx of “outsiders” in the state. It all started with the Sanjauli mosque, with Hindu organisations and residents demanding demolition of illegally built portions of the structure. After a massive demonstration last Wednesday, the mosque committee proposed to the municipal authorities to remove the illegally built portions.
Protests also broke out in Mandi over illegal construction at a mosque by encroaching PWD land, with a huge demonstration organised last Friday. The mosque committee proceeded to remove the illegal extension after being served a notice by govt and authorities.
A delegation led by Shimla’s former deputy mayor and BJP leader Rakesh Sharma and local councillor Rachna Sharma on Tuesday handed over a memorandum to deputy commissioner Anupam Kashyap for demolition of the mosque in Kasumpti area.They also met Shimla municipal commissioner Bhupinder Attri.
Sharma claimed the mosque was built on land belonging to central govt, and former chief minister Virbhadra Singh of Congress had refused to attend its inauguration in 2016-17, when he was apprised of its illegal construction. He claimed the mosque authorities, after losing the case before the Shimla municipal commissioner’s court last year, had filed an appeal.
The former mayor further claimed that according to the Waqf Board Act, a mosque can only be constructed if a minimum of 40 Muslim families were residing in an area. However, as many families were not staying in Kasumpti and even surrounding areas of New Shimla, Beoliya and Malyana, he said. Unknown people could be seen thronging the Kasumpti mosque, especially on Fridays, Sharma claimed.
Protests have been taking place in various parts of Himachal Pradesh for the past several days over “illegal” mosques and influx of “outsiders” in the state. It all started with the Sanjauli mosque, with Hindu organisations and residents demanding demolition of illegally built portions of the structure. After a massive demonstration last Wednesday, the mosque committee proposed to the municipal authorities to remove the illegally built portions.
Protests also broke out in Mandi over illegal construction at a mosque by encroaching PWD land, with a huge demonstration organised last Friday. The mosque committee proceeded to remove the illegal extension after being served a notice by govt and authorities.
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