Tension in Shimla as protestors clash with police over 'illegal' mosque in Sanjauli; WATCH

Massive protests erupted in Shimla on Wednesday over a disputed mosque in the Sanjauli area. Hundreds of protesters hit the ground again against the construction of additional floors on the mosque site despite the case going on in the court for 14 years. The locals, who have been demanding the demolition of the mosque, clashed with police during a protest march.

Protesters toppled police barricades and security personnel resorting to lathicharge and water cannons to control the crowd. The protesters were heard chanting slogans such as "Himachal Ne Thaana Hai, Devbhoomi Ko Bachana Hai" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai."

The march was called to protest against the alleged illegal construction of extra floors in a mosque located in Sanjauli. The locals defied the prohibitory orders issued on Tuesday in the area following escalating tension over the construction of extra floors in the mosque and calls for a shutdown by some Hindu organisations.

Earlier this month, Himachal's Rural Minister Anirudh Singh raised the same issue in the Assembly. He said illegal migrants were flooding the state and people from Bangladesh and the Rohingyas were coming every day. He also questioned why the mosque, which he said was on the government land, was not demolished. 

Singh demanded an investigation into the construction of Sanjauli Masjid. He said the construction was started without approval. "It was an illegal structure. First, one floor was built, then the rest followed," he said in the Assembly. "They have a habit of engaging in illegal activities. They built a 5-storey mosque. This entire matter should be investigated," he said in an apparent reference to illegal migrants from Bangladesh. 

The minister also rejected the charge that the mosque had been there since 1960. He said the construction began only in 2010. "I have all records and will place it before the House. The case was ongoing in 2010. The surprising thing is that by 2019, the illegal construction of four additional floors had already been completed."

Days after his comments, the Waqf Board told a Shimla court that it owns the disputed mosque in Sanjauli. The board, however, said that the dispute was only about the construction of additional floors. After hearing the submissions, the court asked the Waqf Board how the original single-storey mosque had expanded into a five-storey structure.