A day after protests demanding the demolition of a mosque in Shimla’s Sanjauli escalated into violence, injuring 10 people, including six police personnel, office bearers of the local Muslim welfare committee submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner on Thursday, urging him to seal the unauthorised portion of the structure and offered to demolish it once the court delivered a verdict on the matter. “It is a welcome move on the part of one party,” Bhupender Kumar Attri, Municipal Commissioner, Shimla, said. “The matter is sub-judice and pending in court. If one party is willing to not use the portion of a structure in question and offers to seal it, the authorities can act on it till the outcome of the pending case in the court of law. I am going through the contents of the memorandum,” he added. The development came on a day when the Shimla Beopar Mandal gave a bandh call, urging shopkeepers to shut their shops till Thursday noon. Protesters had also gathered at Mall Road, raising pro-Himachal Pradesh slogans. Sources said the memorandum was a result of hectic negotiations in the last 24 hours. “We have sought permission from the Shimla municipal commissioner to demolish the unauthorised part of the mosque situated in Sanjauli for maintaining peace and harmony in Shimla,” Mufti Mohammad Shafi Kasmi said, speaking to the media after submitting the memorandum. Asked if the decision was taken under pressure, he said, “There is no pressure on us. We have been staying here for decades. Our decision is to maintain the peace and harmony in the state.” The committee that submitted the memorandum comprises the imam of the mosque, members of the Waqf Board, and the mosque management committee. Meanwhile, members of the Dev Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, who had called for protests against the unauthorised construction at the mosque, welcomed the move. “We welcome this initiative from the Muslim community and would be the first to embrace them for taking such a step in the larger interest,” Vijay Sharma, a member of the Samiti, said.
