Himachal organisation seeks demolition of Shimla mosque's illegal floors post HC order

Following the decision, the Wakf Board challenged the decision in the High Court.The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for March 9.Meanwhile, on December 8, the All Himachal Muslims Organisation held a press conference here and produced a 1915 revenue record to assert that the mosque is a legally established place of worship and not an encroachment.All Himachal Muslims Organisation president Nazakat Ali Hashmi said that the Sanjauli mosque has existed for more than a century and is reflected in official records across decades.The mosque has been there since 1915.

Members of Dev Bhoomi Sangarsh Samiti on Monday submitted a memorandum to the commissioner of the Shimla Municipal Corporation seeking demolition of the top three illegal floors of the disputed Sanjauli mosque here after the Himachal Pradesh High Court's order to the effect.

After hearing the arguments of the parties involved in the case, a single judge bench of Justice Ajay Mohan Goel on December 3 ordered status quo on the lower two floors of the mosque, while maintaining that the top three floors must be demolished according to the Shimla Municipal Commissioner Court's directions.

In a memorandum submitted to Municipal Commissioner Bhupinder Attri here, the Samiti members demanded immediate demolition of the illegal floors and offered to raze them free of cost in case the municipal commission was facing any difficulty, Samiti convener Madan Thakur told PTI here.

He said three storeys have been declared illegal, out of which the top floor has been demolished and the Dev Bhoomi Samiti is willing to demolish the third and fourth floors of the five-storey mosque free of cost.

''We want to make it clear that our objective is not to cause law and order problems but to ensure the directions of the court are followed in letter and spirit,'' Samiti co-convener Vijay Sharma said.

The Wakf Board and the mosque committee had earlier challenged the orders of the municipal court in the district court. However, the district court upheld the municipal commissioner court's decision and ordered the demolition of the illegal structure by December 30. Following the decision, the Wakf Board challenged the decision in the High Court.

The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for March 9.

Meanwhile, on December 8, the All Himachal Muslims Organisation held a press conference here and produced a 1915 revenue record to assert that the mosque is a legally established place of worship and not an encroachment.

All Himachal Muslims Organisation president Nazakat Ali Hashmi said that the Sanjauli mosque has existed for more than a century and is reflected in official records across decades.

The mosque has been there since 1915. It appeared in the 1997-98 and 2003 revenue records as well. Later, entries showing only the government as landowner indicate tampering, he had alleged.

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