Sanjauli mosque issue: Jai Ram Thakur demands AIMIM leader's arrest

Shimla: Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday accused AIMIM leader Shoaib Jamai of instigating the sentiments of people on the Sanjauli mosque issue in Shimla and demanded his arrest.

Jamai had kicked up a row after he made a video from the disputed Sanjauli mosque here and said he would file a PIL seeking why other buildings in the vicinity with more than four storeys are not considered illegal.

Talking to media persons here, Thakur, who is the leader of the opposition, said, "When locals are not allowed in the mosque, how can an outsider come and make a video inside the mosque." He also asked who allowed Jamai into the mosque and what the administration was doing.

"The AIMIM leader is instigating the sentiments of the people in regard to the ongoing Sanjauli mosque dispute and should be immediately arrested. The government does not understand the gravity of the issue," Thakur asserted.

The video clip of Jamai from the Sanjauli mosque made rounds on social media in which he is purportedly heard saying that justice is for all and only the court would decide whether the mosque is illegal or legal.

Showing adjoining buildings from the mosque with equal number of storeys, Jamai said that "If this mosque is illegal, then several other constructions are also illegal and we will submit a public interest litigation (PIL) in the court and ask why other buildings over four and a half storeys are not illegal."

However, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh and president of the Sanjauli mosque committee Mohammad Latif condemned the act on Wednesday.

Referring to the video, Singh said "He (Jamai) has come from outside and is trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the state by making a video from the disputed mosque and sensationalising the issue."

"It is unfortunate and action should be taken against such acts," he said, adding that the court would decide whether the mosque is authorised or not.

Latif condemned the incident and requested all not to disturb the atmosphere here. "We do not need outsiders. We, the government and the Hindu organisations would amicably resolve the issue."

"We have already written to the authorities that we are willing to demolish the unauthorised portion of the mosque ourselves," Latif said, adding some locals and outsiders are trying to do politics on the issue and urged the authorities to take action against those trying to flare up the issue.

Hindu groups and locals have been demanding demolition of an unauthorised portion of the mosque in Sanjauli.

Ten people had sustained injuries during protests on September 11, a day after the Muslim community had urged the municipal commissioner to seal the unauthorised portion and also offered to demolish it in accordance with a court order.