Shimla, Sep 25 (PTI) An AIMIM leader has kicked up a row after he made a video from the disputed Sanjauli mosque here and said he would file a PIL seeking why other buildings in the vicinity with more than four storeys are not considered illegal.
Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh Wednesday condemned the remarks of Shoaib Jamai, who mentions himself as AIMIM’s Delhi chief in his X handle, as attempts to vitiate the atmosphere of the state.
The video clip of Jamai from the Sanjauli mosque on Tuesday is doing the rounds on social media in which he is purportedly heard saying that justice is for all and only the court would decided whether the mosque is illegal or legal.
Showing adjoining buildings from the mosque with equal number of storeys, Jamai said that “If this mosque is illegal, then several other constructions are also illegal and we will submit a public interest litigation (PIL) in the court and ask why other buildings over four and a half storeys are not illegal.” Talking to the media persons here, Singh referred to the video and said “he (Jamai) has come from outside and is trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the state by making a video from the disputed mosque and sensationalising the issue.” “It is unfortunate and action should be taken against such acts,” he said, adding that the court would decide whether the mosque is authorised or not.
President of the Sanjauli mosque committee Mohammad Latif condemned the act.
“We condemn the incident and statement and request all not to disturb the atmosphere here. We do not need outsiders. We, the government and the Hindu organisations would amicably resolve the issue,” he said.
“We have already written to the authorities that we are willing to demolish the unauthorised portion of the mosque ourselves,” Latif said, adding some locals and outsiders are trying to do politics on the issue and urged the authorities to take action against those trying to flare up the issue.
“We are locals of Himachal Pradesh and live here peacefully with others,” he said.
Hindu groups and locals have been demanding demolition of an unauthorised portion of the mosque in Sanjauli.
Ten people had sustained injuries during protests on September 11, a day after the Muslim community had urged the municipal commissioner to seal the unauthorised portion and also offered to demolish it in accordance with a court order. PTI BPL ZMN
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