Protests in Himachal Pradesh Over Sanjauli Mosque Controversy

On Saturday, traders in Sunni, Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Kangra, and other parts of Himachal Pradesh protested over the Sanjauli mosque controversy. They demanded police verification for all hawkers coming from outside the state. Markets in Sunni and Kullu were closed as the Sunni Vyapar Mandal called for a ‘Bandh’ in response to the issue.

Members of the Sunni Vyapar Mandal gathered in the markets to protest, reciting the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in Kullu. A protesting trader stated, “This ‘Bandh’ has been called by the Sunni Vyapar Mandal. We are supporting the strike, which lasted from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. It is a peaceful protest. Our demand is that all those coming here for business or other work from outside should be properly verified. The number of such unknown individuals is increasing in the state. Many of those running open stalls have no documentation and are involved in illegal activities.”

Protesters emphasized that their demand for police verification applied to all hawkers, regardless of their religion. Another local protester noted that the demonstration was also a response to the use of water cannons and lathi charges by security forces on Wednesday against those demanding the demolition of the allegedly illegally constructed Sanjauli mosque.

Earlier, on Friday, Shimla police renewed their appeal for calm as protests continued over the Sanjauli mosque issue. Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjeev Kumar said, “We had previously appealed to everyone to maintain peace regarding the Sanjauli case. However, following the recent incident of stone pelting, in which two of our officers were seriously injured, a thorough investigation is underway.”

SP Kumar confirmed that they are working to identify those responsible for the violence. He added, “From our investigation, it appears the entire incident was premeditated. We are in the process of identifying the individuals involved and determining on whose orders it was carried out.”

Meanwhile, Hindu organizations staged a protest in Mandi on Friday over another allegedly illegally constructed mosque in the city. As the crowd attempted to breach the barricades, police fired water cannons to disperse them. The protests, organized by Hindu groups, took place even though mosque authorities had already demolished parts of the complex that were allegedly unauthorized. Large crowds gathered along Jail Road in Mandi, shouting slogans against the state government and demanding action over the alleged illegal construction.