Himachal: Hindu orgs request Muslims to avoid Friday prayers at disputed Sanjauli mosque

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 5 : Amid the ongoing dispute over the Sanjauli mosque structure in Shimla, Hindu organisations have appealed to the Muslim community to refrain from offering Friday prayers inside the controversial mosque building until the matter is settled in court.
They cited the Himachal Pradesh High Court's directive to maintain the status quo and the earlier Municipal Commissioner's order regarding demolition of the top floors of the building.
Narender Thakur, from Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, said they respect the court's order and expect the decision scheduled for March 9 to uphold the lower court's ruling, which ordered the demolition of three upper floors of the mosque structure.
He further appealed to the local Muslim community to maintain communal harmony by not entering the unauthorised structure for prayers until a final legal resolution is reached.
Meanwhile, Vijay Sharma, Convenor of the organisation, reiterated that the High Court's status quo order must not be interpreted as permission to use the disputed section of the building for prayers.
He urged the Muslim community to avoid any move that might escalate tensions and insisted that both communities should respect the judicial process.
On the other hand, Sanjauli Mosque Committee Chairman, Lateef Negi, stated that the land belongs to the Waqf Board and the illegality pertains only to the additional construction. He assured that they would comply with the court order and remove one more floor soon, while asserting that Friday prayers should continue peacefully as before.
Negi also appealed to all groups to maintain peace and abide by the court's directive until the case is fully resolved.
Tension around the mosque has continued in recent weeks, but local leaders from both communities have expressed hope that harmony will be preserved while the legal proceedings continue.