Shimla Sanjauli Mosque Row: Vyapar Mandal Calls Half-Day Bandh Over Lathicharge by Police

Shimla: In the wake of the alleged illegal construction of a mosque in Shimla's Sanjauli area, the Shimla Vyapar Mandal has called for a half-day market shutdown from 10 am to 1 pm on Thursday. The bandh comes a day after massive protest was held on Wednesday, during which protesters clashed with security forces, prompting a lathi charge by the police.

Shimla Beopar Mandal president Sanjeev Thakur expressed anger over the police action and said, "Peaceful protests by Hindu organisations were being done yesterday. But the administration instigated them and launched a lathi charge on them. We are protesting against that. We are Hindus first...We demand that SP Shimla be removed from his post."

Wednesday's protests saw locals demanding the demolition of what they claim is an illegal portion of a mosque. As tensions escalated, police used water cannons and baton charges to disperse the crowd, resulting in injuries to about 10 people, including police officers and women.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh commented on the situation, saying the government is closely monitoring developments and is in contact with central leadership, including Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. "The government sympathises with the protestors and wants to resolve this issue according to the law," Singh stated, emphasising that any illegal construction would be demolished if confirmed by the court.

Despite prohibitory orders in place, hundreds of protesters gathered, chanting slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" and "Hindu Ekta Zindabad" as they marched through Sanjauli, breaking through barricades. Police detained several protesters, including Hindu Jagran Manch secretary Kamal Gautam, but the demonstrations continued with participants refusing to disperse.

The clashes disrupted normal life in the area, leaving students stranded in schools and prompting residents to criticize the administration for not preemptively closing educational institutions. Some protesters alleged that police also baton-charged children during the unrest.

Minister Singh reassured the public that the government respects the right to peaceful protest but warned that no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands. He reiterated that the case of the mosque's construction is under the jurisdiction of the court, and a decision would be made in accordance with the law.

DGP Atul Verma reported that at least six police officers were injured during the clash, while protesters claimed that 15 demonstrators, including women, were hurt. SP Shimla Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said, "We tried to pacify the situation through dialogue, but there is no leader, and the mob is not ready to listen."

Opposition leader Jai Ram Thakur urged protesters to follow the law, warning that the situation could escalate if not handled carefully. He called for the case of the unauthorized mosque to be expedited to avoid further unrest.

Chief Minister Sukhu also weighed in, cautioning against politicizing the issue. He affirmed that the matter of unauthorized construction is before the court and that the law will take its course.