Shimla, Nov 30 (IANS): The Shimla District Court has upheld the Municipal Court's order to demolish three floors of the Sanjauli mosque and dismissed a petition filed by the mosque committee seeking to review the decision.
"Our petition has been dismissed. We argued that those who represented the mosque committee in court had no authority to do so, but the court rejected our plea. We will study the full judgment after we get it and then proceed further," Vishwa Bhushan, an advocate for the Muslim side, said.
Jagat Pal, a lawyer representing the Sanjauli residents, welcomed the decision. "Their appeal had no locus standi. The Municipal Court’s order to demolish three floors of the Sanjauli mosque stands. One floor has already been demolished, and the remaining two floors will be dismantled soon," he added.
However, Mohammad Latif, the mosque committee chief, expressed concerns about the demolition timeline. "We have petitioned the Municipal Court to extend the deadline for dismantling the remaining two floors due to a labour shortage. The High Court has set November 20 as the final date to complete the process, but the weather is poor. How can we do it in the given time frame?" he said.
The controversy revolves around the mosque’s unauthorised expansion. Originally a single-story structure, the mosque grew into a five-story building by 2018 without requisite approvals. Local residents objected, leading the Shimla Municipal Corporation to issue its first demolition notice in 2011. The Municipal Court finally ordered the demolition of illegal three floors on October 5, 2024.
The issue gained prominence when Hindu organisations protested, demanding action against other allegedly illegal mosques in Himachal Pradesh. The matter was raised in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly also, where Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh voiced support for the demolition.
The Sanjauli mosque dispute escalated following an incident in Shimla's Malyana area, where a Hindu man was allegedly assaulted by six individuals who reportedly sought refuge in the mosque. This sparked protests from Hindu groups, who demanded the mosque's demolition on the grounds that it was illegally constructed.
With one floor already dismantled, the legal battle continues, as the mosque committee seeks more time to comply with the court’s order.