Uttarkashi Mosque: Uttarakhand HC Directs State To Ensure Safety Amid Call For Demolition
The High Court on November 22 directed the administration to ensure no untoward incident occurs in the region. The court intervened in the case in the petition filed by the Alpsankhayak Seva Samiti seeking protection of the mosque against demands by Hindutva outfit leaders to demolish it.
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While hearing the case, the Court reminded that India is not a theocracy but a country run by the rule of law, warning that no one should indulge in hate speech or threats of destruction. However, the court will hear the matter again tomorrow, November 27.
Last month, Uttarkashi witnessed violence after a rally was taken out by right-wing groups demanding the demolition of the decades-old masjid.
The issue first emerged when members of the Sanyukt Sanatan Dharam Raksha Sangh, along with other right-wing groups, conducted a rally in September this year, seeking the destruction of the masjid. The group alleged that the masjid was built illegally on government land. The protest also turned violent, injuring policemen. Without any evidence to showcase, the protesters also claimed that the mosque was built illegally on government land.
Notably, the petitioner underscored the masjid’s historical and legal status. Registered as Waqf property in 1987 following a notification by the Uttar Pradesh Waqf Commissioner, the mosque has been a place of worship for Sunni Muslims. The mosque was built in 1969 on land purchased by Stiak Ahmed’s father, Yasim Beg.
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The petitioners said that they sought judicial intervention, claiming that the local administration has failed to address their concerns or provide security for the masjid and the devotees.
The issue assumes greater significance, especially given the recent horrific incident of at least five youths losing their lives during a protest against a survey team who arrived for a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district.
