Mosque row: Hindu outfits stage massive protests in Himachal’s Mandi; Police use water cannons  

Several Hindu organisations staged a giant protest against the illegal construction of a mosque in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi. The police used water cannons to disperse the protesters. The protesters were raising slogans against the government.

Members of the Muslim community themselves demolished an unauthorised part of a mosque at Jail road in Mandi. The construction was once on the land which belonged to the Public Works Department. Both the PWD and the Municipal Corporation had served notice to the mosque management at some point of this regard.

SP Mandi, Sakshi Verma said, “Law and order shall be maintained. Through different sources, we have now information that some organisations have given a call to gather here. 300 police personnel have been deployed, and police nakas placed at the doorway of Mandi town. Action shall be taken on violation of prohibitory orders below 163 BNS.”

Earlier, the police had deployed massive police personnel and barricaded streets in the Jail Road area.

The mosque authorities themselves had demolished the unauthorised part of the mosque in Shimla.

Talking to PTI, former BJP minister Suresh Bhardwaj advocated for verification of people coming to Himachal Pradesh from outside the state.

Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “All political parties existing in the state have contributed to putting forward the culture, peace, and team spirit in the state. Every person has one of the suitable to work in Himachal Pradesh, given the fact they stay in the confines of the law. We held an all-party meeting this day, held detailed discussions, where we passed this proposal unanimously.”

(With