Himachal DGP refutes minister’s claims of foreign hand in Sanjauli mosque construction dispute
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Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma has dismissed the allegations of involvement of foreigners or illegal migrants, including Rohingyas, in the ongoing dispute over illegal construction at a mosque in Sanjauli, a suburb of Shimla. The assertion comes after Himachal Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh recently expressed concerns in the Vidhan Sabha about possible foreign involvement in the construction.
DGP Verma stated that inputs from intelligence agencies had been thoroughly reviewed and the police had concluded that the issue was a localised dispute. He said a high-level meeting had been convened on the matter and necessary preparations had been made to ensure peace and order in the area.
Another major protest scheduled on Sept 11
A police force has been deployed in anticipation of a demonstration scheduled for September 11 in Sanjauli. “We are closely monitoring mischievous elements in the area and I urge the public not to pay attention to any rumours,” said Verma. He further requested that any suspicious activity or information be directly reported to the police. “We will take strict action against anyone who violates the law,” he added.
In response to questions about allegations of multiple individuals from the Muslim community having the same date of birth on their Aadhaar cards, the DGP said such reports had not yet come to his attention. He assured that if such cases were found in Shimla or its surrounding areas, they would be investigated by the local Superintendent of Police. “Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation,” he stated.
Measurement of illegal construction set to begin
As part of the ongoing inquiry into the illegal construction at the mosque, the Municipal Corporation Commissioner’s Court has directed a junior engineer to submit a status report on the current state of the site. Jitendra Samta, a junior engineer from the corporation’s architect branch, has been tasked with leading the team responsible for measuring the mosque. However, written orders from the court are still awaited before the measurement can proceed.
The Municipal Corporation had previously prepared a report on the mosque’s construction but failed to present it during the court hearing on September 7. The Waqf Board has since requested the latest status report to clarify the extent of the illegal construction.
Mosque construction history and earlier complaints
The first complaint regarding illegal construction on the mosque premises was lodged in 2009. In response, the Municipal Corporation issued a notice in 2010 to halt further work. According to the former head of the mosque committee, a modest two-storey kutcha structure stood on the site until 2012. However, by 2019, the structure had expanded to five stories, raising further concerns.
Curiously, neither the former mosque committee head nor the Waqf Board appears to know who authorised or carried out the construction. In June, a team led by the junior engineer demolished three illegally constructed toilets adjacent to the mosque premises. However, the issue did not attract significant attention at the time.
