Protests Erupt Over Unauthorized mosque Construction in Mandi, police Deploy Water Cannons

On Friday, police in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, used water cannons to disperse protesters who were calling for the demolition of part of a mosque that was built on encroached government land.

The Mandi municipal corporation has issued a notice to the mosque management committee, demanding the removal of the encroachment within 30 days. The mosque currently occupies 232 square meters of land, though only 45 square meters were approved. Chanting “Jai Shri Ram,” the protesters initially marched through the Mandi market area and staged a sit-in at Seri Manch. However, when they attempted to advance towards the mosque, the police intervened and used water cannons to manage the situation. In response to the protest call from Hindu groups, security in Mandi was significantly increased.

On Thursday, members of the Muslim community took action by demolishing an unauthorized section of the mosque themselves. This construction had been on land belonging to the Public Works Department (PWD), which, along with the municipal corporation, had previously issued notices to the mosque management committee regarding the issue.

Iqbal Ali, a member of the mosque committee, explained, “PWD officials informed us that part of the mosque was on PWD land, and we were served a notice. So, we decided to demolish that section of the wall.”

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal have called for the demolition of all illegal structures belonging to the Muslim community, as well as encroachments on government land across the state.

In response to the unrest, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged citizens to maintain peace and refrain from making provocative statements. “I have urged everyone to keep the peace and avoid taking the law into their own hands. We respect all religions, and the land of Himachal respects everyone,” Sukhu said following an all-party meeting in Shimla. He acknowledged that protests are a feature of democracy but emphasized that they should be conducted peacefully.

Sukhu noted that members of the Muslim community had already taken steps to address unauthorized constructions, including the recent demolition of a section of the mosque in Mandi. The chief minister concluded that the all-party meeting had agreed on the need for peace and brotherhood and affirmed that unauthorized constructions would be dealt with according to the law.
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Sudha Subbiah

13/09/2024 04:03 PM