Outsiders in Shimla: CM must take a larger view – India TV

For the first time, Shimla witnessed communal tension with several thousand protesters, belonging to the BJP and various Hindu organisations, demanding the demolition of a mosque. On Thursday, the protesters also demanded the identification and eviction of all illegal settlers from Bangladesh, particularly the Rohingya Muslims, who have entered Himachal Pradesh. The protest took on political overtones when Rural Development Minister Aniruddh Singh joined the protest and later appealed to the Chief Minister in the Assembly to conduct a survey to verify the existence of all foreign vendors in Shimla.

According to him, the number of Muslim street vendors in Shimla has already increased from 190 to 1,900 and that street vending rights should be granted only to Himachal residents. Local residents of Shimla have given a two-day ultimatum to the authorities to demolish the “illegal” mosque. Shimla is otherwise a quiet hill town, but on Thursday, thousands of Hindu protesters took to the streets at the request of the Devbhoomi Kshatriya Sangathan.

The protesters alleged that the Sanjauli mosque has become a shelter for foreign migrants. They claimed that there has been an increase in the number of crimes such as robbery, theft and street harassment. They also claimed that earlier only two to four people used to stay at the Sanjauli mosque, but now the number has increased to over 300. They also claimed that the mosque now has four floors, bypassing municipal building laws. In Shimla, no one is allowed to construct any building higher than two and a half floors.

The Sanjauli mosque is being constructed for the last 14 years and the matter is pending in the courts. Hindu leaders allege that there is a conspiracy afoot to change the demography of Himachal Pradesh. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, taking a jibe at the Congress party, asked, “Why is there so much hatred against Muslims in ‘muhabbat ki dukaan’? The matter is in the courts and Hindu groups are demanding demolition of the mosque. Congress ministers are speaking the jargon of BJP leaders.” Uttar Pradesh Congress MP Imran Masood took issue with the Himachal Congress minister’s remarks and said he would raise the issue with the party high command.

Masood said that the Sanjauli Masjid mosque has been there since 1947, and the matter of illegal construction is now pending in the courts. Looking at the anger of local residents in Shimla, one thing is clear – the mosque issue is just a trigger. The main problem is related to people who have started settling in from outside. Shimla city was always considered a safe city for women, but incidents of harassment and kidnapping have increased now.

People have been living in Shimla for generations in an atmosphere of brotherhood. Over the years, Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims came and started living in the basements of buildings. They have not been properly identified nor has any action been taken. If a BJP leader had raised this issue, the Congress could have blamed the RSS for being behind the protest. The issue has been raised by a local Congress MP who is a minister in Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s government. What Minister Aniruddh Singh said in the Assembly should be taken as a warning.

The Prime Minister has talked about upholding the rule of law, but he should understand the sentiments of the people of Shimla. Sukhu himself belongs to Shimla and understands the public sentiments. He should take a broader perspective on this issue.