Waqf board moves HC against Shimla mosque demolition orders

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board has moved the high court against orders declaring the Sanjauli mosque in Shimla an unauthorised structure and directing its demolition. The petition challenges both the Shimla Municipal Corporation commissioner’s decision and the district court’s October 30 order upholding the demolition, with the high court expected to first decide on the maintainability of the plea on Monday.

The district court had affirmed the municipal commissioner’s direction to raze the multi-storey mosque by December 30 after finding that it lacked requisite approvals and had been built without sanctioned plans. In response, members of the Dev Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, which has campaigned for the demolition, have been on a hunger strike for the past 10 days, demanding immediate sealing of the mosque and disconnection of its electricity and water supply.

Despite the court order and the Samiti’s appeal to local Muslims not to attend Friday prayers, a small number of devotees offered prayers at the shrine this week, though the day passed without any major incident. One worshipper, Riyasat Ali, said the administration had not barred prayers at the site, even as the mosque cleric urged the community to avoid congregational prayers until the legal dispute is settled.

Vijay Sharma, co-convenor of the Dev Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, said the group is awaiting a November 29 meeting with the administration before deciding its next steps, warning that the agitation will be intensified if talks fail. He criticised the continuation of prayers in what courts have termed an illegal structure, accusing some devotees of attempting to “provoke” tensions, while thanking the “majority” of the Muslim community for maintaining restraint and cooperation.

(Inputs from PTI)