Stir in Himachal to demand Waqf Board abolition, migrants’ scrutiny

Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, a religious and cultural organisation, held protests across Himachal Pradesh districts over the dispute surrounding the alleged illegal construction of a portion of a mosque in Shimla. The protest was held against illegal mosques and migrants in Himachal Pradesh.
The protesters submitted a memorandum to the local administration, demanding that the Waqf Board be abolished and documents bearing the credentials of migrants be verified.
Later in the day, another protest was staged at Chaura maidan in Shimla, in the vicinity of the Vidhan Sabha, demanding demolition of the “illegal” portion of the mosque in Sanjauli.
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Weighing in on the communal tensions that rocked the city over the last one month, professor Harish Kumar Thakur of the Himachal Pradesh University’s political science department said, “Since religious issues are quite sensitive, the government and the administration have to act wisely to maintain peace and harmony.”
The protest comes a day after a peace march was taken out from CTO Chowk to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Ridge via Lower Bazaar. It saw the participation of people from different faiths and communities, with the goal of delivering a strong message of peace and unity, amid a series of protests and communal tension in the city.
Taking part in the march, Sanjay Chauhan, CPI(M) leader and former Shimla mayor, voiced his concerns about the current situation as he highlighted the need for peaceful coexistence of different communities in the city.
“People of all religions have been living together in Shimla for a long time, but now efforts are being made to cause disharmony,” Chauhan had said.
“Today, a goodwill march is being taken out by various organisations in Shimla in which people from all communities were seen to participate. People taking part in the protest appealed for peace,” he added.