Mosque dispute: Prohibitory orders in Himachal's Sanjauli following bandh call by Hindu groups

Shimla: Prohibitory orders were imposed in the Sanjauli locality here on Tuesday following escalating tension over illegal construction in a mosque and call for a bandh by Hindu organisations.

The Shimla district administration issued the prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 that bar assembly of more than five persons without permission and carrying of lethal weapons and arms including lathis, daggers, sticks, spears, swords.

Some Hindu organisations had given a bandh call on Wednesday demanding demolition of the unauthorised construction in the mosque and registration of outsiders coming to the state.

Last Thursday, Hindu groups had staged massive protests at Chaura Maidan here in the vicinity of the Vidhan Sabha and Sanjauli to press for their demand.

The prohibitory orders were issued due to prevailing law and order situation in the Sanjauli area and apprehension of breach of public peace and tranquillity, District Magistrate of Shimla Anupam Kashyap said.

Public rally, procession without permission and demonstrations strikes including hunger strike, dharna, slogan shouting in public places causing obstruction to roads, highways, footpath and normal movement of traffic and carrying of any kind of inflammable objects to be burnt by any individual or group of persons at any public place, roads and places of worship/prayers are also prohibited, the order said.

The order shall remain effective in the entire Sanjauli area on Wednesday from 7:00 AM to 11:59 PM.

Interacting with media persons here, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the issue should not be given a political colour.

"Maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the government. People have the right to protest peacefully but there should be no damage to anyone from any community," he said.

In Himachal Pradesh, all communities are respected and the Vidhan Sabha speaker has constituted a committee to make rules for venders' policy as the conflict started from a small dispute, he said.

As far as the mosque is concerned, the case of unauthorised or illegal construction of some floors is in the court of Municipal Corporation and the law would take its own course and requests would be made for early decision on the issue, Sukhu added.

Meanwhile, SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi has asked the people to maintain peace.

"We held meetings with the stakeholders and are hopeful that the protest would be peaceful," he added.