Shimla court orders demolition of mosque amid protests

Shimla, Oct 30 (IANS) A court in Shimla on Thursday upheld the decision of Court of the Municipal Commissioner to demolish the mosque in Sanjauli, located on the outskirts of the Himachal Pradesh capital, as it was illegal and saw widespread protests. 

Rejecting the appeal for Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board and the Sanjauli Mosque Committee, Additional District and Sessions Judge Yajuvinder Singh directed to demolish all the floors of the mosque, which was declared illegal.

On May 3, the Commissioner's Court had directed the Waqf Board and the Mosque Committee to demolish the mosque after declaring it illegal.

After the court's order, both the Waqf Board and the Mosque Committee had challenged the decision in Shimla district court.

However, the Sanjauli Mosque Committee said it would challenge the district court decision in the high court.

Jagat Pal, advocate for the petitioners, said the Waqf Board and the Mosque Committee had filed two appeals in the district court.

However, the both appeals were dismissed by the district court.

"Now the entire mosque will be demolished," Pal told the media.

Earlier, the Court of the Municipal Commissioner had ordered the demolition of two additional floors of the mosque.

A similar order was issued last year for the demolition of its three floors.

Counsel for Waqf Board's said that the mosque originally existed before 1947 and was rebuilt after being demolished.

However, Commissioner Bhupender Kumar Attri had asked why the necessary permissions, including architectural plans, were not obtained from the municipal corporation for its reconstruction.

The Waqf Board had also failed to present the mosque's revenue records during the court hearing.

The Himachal Pradesh High Court had directed the Municipal Commissioner to decide the case by May 8.

The Commissioner's Court passed the order after hearing both parties.

A communal clash flared in September last year after some members of a community had taken shelter in the mosque.

Local residents led by Hindu organisations had demanded the demolition of what they claim is an unauthorised mosque structure and the registration of outsiders coming to the state.

--IANS

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