Sanjauli Mosque row: Muslim cleric appeals for restraint amid Hindu protests

As Hindu groups continue their hunger strike for the Sanjauli mosque demolition, the Muslim community has been urged to avoid congregational prayers.

The dispute over the allegedly unauthorised Sanjauli mosque resurfaced on Friday when only a handful of Muslim devotees visited the building for the weekly Jumme ki Namaz, as Hindu organisations continued their chain hunger strike demanding enforcement of demolition orders.

Very few devotees attended the prayer today while the Cleric advised against congregations. (Deepak Sansta/HT)

Despite tensions, the situation remained peaceful, with Muslim community representatives reiterating their commitment to maintaining communal harmony. Hindu groups too publicly welcomed the restraint shown by the local Muslim population.

Very few devotees attended the prayer today while the Cleric advised against congregations.

Only one local resident, Riyasat Ali, arrived at the disputed structure to offer prayers. Speaking to the media after completing his namaz, he clarified that the administration had not barred individuals from praying but that the mosque's cleric had appealed to the community to avoid congregational prayers until the legal dispute is resolved.

"Administration ne kisi ko namaz padhne ke liye mana nahi kiya. hum iss building ko vaidh nahi maante kyunki matter phir se High Court mein gaya hai. Maulana ne jamaat ke saath namaz se mana kiya hai, lekin koi bhi apni namaz padh kar ja sakta hai. Humein kisi ne roka nahi aur na koi rok sakta hai. (Administration has not stopped anyone from offering namaz. We do not consider the building to be illegal, but the matter is in High Court again. Maulana has urged people to not do namaz with jamaat. But we have not stopped anyone, anyone can come in and offer namaz)," he said.

Ali said the community was waiting for the Himachal Pradesh High Court's next directions, adding that the final decision of the court would guide future action.

Meanwhile, members of the Devbhoomi Hindu Sangharsh Samiti, who have been staging a chain hunger strike for several days, reiterated their demand for full implementation of court orders directing action against the structure, which they claim is an unauthorised construction.

Samiti leader Vijay Sharma accused the lone devotee of attempting to "provoke" tensions but simultaneously thanked the wider Muslim community for cooperating with appeals for communal harmony."

"Main Muslim samuday ka dhanyavaad karta hoon ki unhone sadbhavana banaye rakhi... sirf ek vyakti aaya, jisne mahaul bigadne ki koshish ki. Aise log 'jihadi pravritti' ke hote hain aur hum unki giraftari ki maang karte hain. Court ke aadeshon ka palan ho, masjid ki sabhi manzilein girayi jayen aur bijli-paani kaat diya jaye. (I thank the Muslim community that they kept the goodwill. There was only one person who came to spoil the mood. These peopleare 'jihadi pravritti, and we demand their arrest. On the orders of the court, all the floors of the masjid should be demolished, electricity, water should be cut off)," he said.

Sharma said an eight-member committee formed by the administration had submitted its report, which might play a crucial role in decisions likely to be announced on Saturday. He said the matter was now before the High Court again and said that the organisation was confident the court would not grant a stay on the demolition order.

The Sanjauli mosque has been at the centre of a prolonged legal and administrative dispute. Local authorities and courts earlier held that portions of the structure were built without permission, and demolition orders had been issued. Hindu organisations have been demanding immediate execution of these orders, accusing the administration of delay.

The issue escalated after Hindu groups launched an indefinite chain hunger strike seeking demolition of the contested structure, disconnection of water and electricity supply, Withdrawal of FIRs filed against volunteers of Hindu organisations.

The Muslim community, through its clerics, stated that while the structure's legal status remains under judicial scrutiny, it has appealed to worshippers to avoid congregational prayers to prevent escalation. The community has repeatedly emphasised that maintaining peace is its top priority.

The district administration has maintained heightened vigilance, while urging both communities to maintain calm until the High Court's upcoming proceedings provide further clarity. Officials said the committee report and legal directions will determine the next course of action.

The next significant development is expected on Saturday, when authorities are likely to brief stakeholders based on the committee's findings.