TCN News
New Delhi: An administrative error in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, triggered protests by Hindu groups demanding demolition of a mosque they claim is illegally built. An initial Right to Information (RTI) response indicated that there were no records of the mosque’s land, which heightened tensions. However, further investigation has confirmed that the land is legally registered, and the mosque is listed under the Sunni Waqf. Local authorities are working to resolve the situation, and the Muslim community has requested action against those spreading unrest.
According to the Clarion, Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Amit Srivastava clarified that despite claims from Right-wing groups asserting the mosque’s illegality, the district administration has confirmed it is built on legally registered land. The mosque is owned by four individuals, and the administration has communicated this information to the protesting groups.
A video of the protest, which the Times of India (TOI) claims to have accessed, confirms that religious slogans were raised. The Sanyukt Sanatan Dharam Rakshak Sangh presented a memorandum to the Uttarkashi district magistrate, urging the demolition of the mosque.
During the protest, speakers issued an ultimatum, threatening that if the authorities did not act on the demolition demand, the protesters would take matters into their own hands. One speaker declared that the mosque would be demolished, urging Hindutva organisations to prepare for the task, and emphasised that if the administration did not comply, they would carry out the demolition themselves.
A video of the protest has surfaced on social media, showing demonstrators shouting inflammatory slogans, including calls to confront those protecting Muslims. Protesters also chanted for the demolition of the mosque, accompanied by chants of “Jai Shri Ram”.
A local resident, quoted by the Times of India, mentioned that the colony was legally registered in 1969 with all the necessary documentation. He also stated that 15 Muslim families have been residing in the colony for the past 7-8 generations, living in harmony. Another resident, quoted by the Indian Express, stated, “The Badaahat Mosque in Uttarkashi was officially registered under the Uttar Pradesh Muslim Waqf Act on May 20, 1987, and is included in the Sunni Waqf schedule. Both the land and the mosque are fully legal and in no way unauthorised.”
The Hindustan Times quoted SP Srivastava, stating, “Some Hindu organisations submitted a memorandum to the administration, claiming the mosque to be illegal. However, according to the district administration, the mosque is built on registered land and is not illegal. It is registered under the names of four individuals, and the administration has communicated this to the Hindu organisations.”
The report claims that the Muslim community submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate, urging authorities to take stern action against individuals perpetuating unrest and disrupting the city’s peace and harmony, based on unsubstantiated documentary claims.
Meanwhile, a Muslim organisation, the ‘Muslim Seva Sangathan’, has decided to move to the high court for the “protection of minority rights”, while drawing attention to government inaction.