At Uttarkashi mahapanchayat against ‘illegal’ mosque, claims of ‘land jihad’ and calls for Hindu unity

The mahapanchayat was held after the Uttarkashi district administration gave it the go-ahead days after the Uttarakhand government on Wednesday informed the High Court that no permission had been granted for the event. The next court hearing on the matter was scheduled for December 5.

Permission for the mahapanchayat was granted with several conditions, including not making hatespeech, not taking out rallies, not obstructing traffic, not inciting religious sentiments, and maintaining peace. Organisers said all the rules were obeyed while conducting the event.

The mahapanchayat was attended by Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh, who urged Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to draw inspiration from his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath in tackling “land jihad”. Singh suggested Dhami consider using bulldozers as a means to address the issue.

“Chief Minister Dhami should have a ‘chai pe charcha’ with Yogi Adityanath. The way Yogi ji teaches a lesson to ‘land jihadis’ in Uttar Pradesh, Dhami must also bring bulldozers into action. We will not allow jihadis to engage in land jihad in Uttarakhand. Hindus across the country are looking up to the people of Uttarakhand to set an example,” Singh said, appealing to Hindus to unite against the issue.

Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) state president Anuj Walia announced plans for district-wide protests against the mosque and another mahapanchayat at the Ramlila Maidan in Uttarkashi in a month, calling for the participation of Hindu activists from across Uttarakhand. “This is just the beginning of our struggle. We will respond in their language and uproot these forces from Uttarakhand,” Walia said.

Also at the event, Gangotri MLA Suresh Singh Chauhan advocated a ban on meat and liquor shops in Uttarkashi in order to “preserve the religious charactar” of the town.

“Some are attempting to disrupt the atmosphere of this religious town, but we will not let them succeed. Uttarkashi is home to significant temples and is the centre of our faith. It must remain a truly religious town. There will be no meat, egg, or liquor shops here,” he said. He added that those who have lived in the town for a long time and respect local sentiments have nothing to fear.

Members of the Muslim community in Uttarkashi told The Indian Express that they have no issue with such a mahapanchayat being held as long there is no hatespeech, incitement or violence. These residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the community would continue the legal fight for their rights and for the mosque, which they insist was built legally.

Plans for Sunday’s mahapanchayat were not given permission initially, with then Uttarkashi SP Amit Srivastava telling The Indian Express on Wednesday that it would not be allowed to be held in a public space. However, Srivastava was transferred the same day.

On November 24, while hearing a petition to prevent the planned mahapanchayat and ensure adequate security in the area, the Uttarakhand High Court had directed the state to ensure strict security around the mosque.

The petitioners, Alpsankhayak Seva Samiti president Mushraf Ali and Istiak Ahmed, had alleged threats and hate-driven campaigns targeting the mosque and the Muslim community. According to them, the mosque, established in 1969 on purchased land and registered as Waqf property in 1987, faced unfounded allegations of illegality from certain groups.

The petitioners alleged that on August 27, the District Magistrate’s office provided false information under the RTI Act, stating that no Nazul, freehold, or leased property was recorded in the name of the mosque. On September 6, a rally was held in Uttarkashi, where misinformation about the mosque being on government land was allegedly spread, they claimed.

Protesters affiliated with groups such as the Sanyukt Sanatan Dharm Raksha Sangh and VHP demanded the mosque’s demolition, delivering speeches that the petitioners termed hateful.

The Sanyukt Sanatan Dharm Raksha Sangh, a coalition of various groups, submitted a memorandum to DM Meherban Singh Bisht on September 9, claiming that the mosque was not listed in revenue records and should be demolished.

In response, the DM appointed a committee led by SDM Bhatwari to investigate the claims. The committee found that the mosque was legally established and did not encroach on government land. The Sanyukt Sanatan Dharm Rakshak Sangh, however, rejected the committee’s findings and continued to insist that the mosque was illegal and should be demolished.

On October 24, a scuffle and stone-pelting during a protest rally against the mosque left several people injured, including police personnel.