Shimla: Amid the rising dispute surrounding the alleged illegal construction of Sanjauli Mosque in Shimla, which has sparked tensions in the area, various organizations took out a march in a show of solidarity and communal harmony.
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that the Imams of Sanjauli Mosque are in support of demolishing the structure, amidst protests and communal tensions in the area.
"The people of the mosque themselves said that if something is illegal we will demolish it, so our brothers from the Muslim community, the head of the mosque, the Imam, they themselves want it (to be demolished) because it is illegal.." he said.
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Meanwhile, Sanjauli Mosque case committee Chairman Lucky Mohammad Latif Negi on Monday said that the demolition work of the illegal portion of the mosque would start from the roof of the mosque after the Himachal Waqf Board granted permission for the partial demolition of the Sanjauli Mosque following a court order from the Municipal Corporation Shimla.
Negi said that the demolition would take least five months because it is winter time and there is a lack of funding to demolish the mosque. He said that people give money to build a mosque but no one is coming forward to demolish it.
Further, he said that the mosque committee had written a letter to the Board of Trustees in which permission was sought to start the work of demolishing the mosque because he is also its owner. He said that Kapoor has given permission to demolish it but at the same time has refused to give funding, so it will take us more time to demolish it.
As per the court's instructions, two months' time has been given, however, he has asked for more time and he is saying that he will take an extension in this matter from the court.
—ANI