Order directing demolition of Shimla mosque's 3 storeys received, Waqf Board informed: Masjid panel chief

Shimla: The copy of the Municipal Commissioner Court's order directing demolition of three storeys of the controversial mosque here has been received and it has been communicated to the Waqf Board, said Sanjauli Mosque Committee president Muhammad Latif on Wednesday.

The Municipal Commissioner (MC) Court had on October 5 ordered demolition of three 'unauthorised' storeys of the disputed five-storey Sanjauli mosque and gave two months to the Waqf Board and president of the mosque committee to execute the orders.

"We have received the copy of the orders of the MC Court to demolish three storeys of the Sanjauli mosque and have written to the Waqf board --“ the owner of the land where the mosque is constructed -- to give further directions," he told PTI Videos here.

"Work would be started as soon as the permission from the Waqf Board is received, he said, adding that we had already offered to demolish two unauthorised floors of the mosque on September 12 and given a representation in this regard to the MC commissioner after taking consent from the Waqf Board," the mosque committee chief said.

Latif was a part of the delegation which submitted the representation offering to demolish the unauthorised floors of the mosque on September 12, a day after 10 people were injured during a protest demanding demolition of a portion of a mosque in Sanjauli area.

The Muslim Welfare Committee had given representation to MC commissioner asking to seal an unauthorised portion of the Sanjauli mosque and said they will themselves demolish the unauthorised portion.

However, the Muslim bodies in the state were divided over the decision of the Shimla MC Court. The All Himachal Muslim's Organisation (AHMO) had said they will challenge the order in the court of appellate authority and fight till the Supreme Court.

Earlier, the AHMO state spokesperson Nazakat Ali Hashmi had in a statement said the persons who gave the representation had no authority to make any such submission and the orders passed by the MC Court are contrary to the facts.

He had maintained that the land belonged to the Waqf Board, the mosque is 125 years old and the 'unauthorised' storeys are not illegal. The approval of maps is lying with the authorities but the MC Court ordered demolition of the storeys, he added.

On the other hand, Latif had said, "It was a big decision to offer to demolish the mosque to ensure peace and brotherhood in the state. We spoke to the Waqf Board, the main people of the community in the district, local shopkeepers and others and everyone was of the opinion that peace should prevail," he said.