Hindu outfits claim mosque in Himachal’s Kullu illegal, recite Hanuman Chalisa

Various Hindu outfits in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu raised objections over a mosque’s alleged illegal construction, gathered outside the structure and peacefully recited Hanuman Chalisa. This comes amid protests in Shimla over the alleged illegal construction of a mosque.
The members of these groups demanded the removal of Jama Masjid, which has stood for nearly 50 years, claiming that there were unauthorised additions to the mosque’s structure.
At the centre of the dispute is a discrepancy over land ownership. The mosque, despite its long-standing presence, is still registered in the name of the Khadi Board, according to official revenue records.
The issue intensified when it was revealed that the mosque had constructed four additional floors without obtaining the necessary permissions. While the mosque was initially granted a two-year period to complete its construction starting in 2000, the work continued until 2017, when a court asked the mosque authorities to halt the construction.
According to authorities, the construction was carried out illegally under the Town and Country Planning (TCP) regulations.
The protest in Kullu, led by activist Kshitij Sood, remained peaceful, but the groups have warned that their next demonstration on September 30 “may take a different turn” if their concerns were not addressed.
Meanwhile, the mosque’s Imam, Nawab Hashmi, has defended the legality of the construction and the land ownership. He claimed that the Waqf Board legally owns 1 bigha and 2 biswa of land and has been collecting rent for it.
“The land in question was transferred from the Khadi Board to the mosque with the help of Congress leaders in 1999, and all construction activities were carried out with proper permissions,” Hashmi said.
He, however, emphasised that his silence was an attempt to prevent any escalation, but he welcomed any administrative action if the authorities found something amiss.
The row in Kullu comes amid protests across Himachal Pradesh, including Shimla, over the alleged illegal construction of mosque floors. A two-hour bandh was observed in several parts of the state against unauthorised construction of mosques and the recent police action on demonstrators.
On Wednesday, Shimla witnessed chaotic scenes as locals clashed with police during a protest march over alleged illegal construction inside the Sanjauli mosque complex in the city.