MT Desk: The demand follows earlier incidents where women linked to Hindu groups stopped worshippers from offering Friday prayers at the mosque. Local Muslims say those actions caused distress and made people afraid to come for prayers. A member of the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti, Madan Thakur, told reporters that the administration must act before the deadline. “The Municipal Corporation should come forward to enforce the court’s orders,” he said. “If the Waqf Board, the mosque committee and the corporation cannot remove the illegal portion, we are ready to do free voluntary service.”
Another leader, Vijay Sharma, repeated the warning linked to the December 29 date. “We have submitted a memorandum to the commissioner,” he said. “A status report should be called for and made public. If there is a lack of funds or labour, our people are ready to help.” Leaders of the group also made strong public claims. Madan Thakur alleged that “there are laws only for Hindus” in the state and accused the government of protecting outsiders. Muslim groups have rejected these remarks, calling them false and harmful.
Muslim residents and community leaders say the issue is being pushed in a way that targets their faith. A member of the mosque committee said, “This mosque has a long history. Records show the base structure existed for decades. Any question about construction should be settled only in court, not on the streets.” The Himachal Pradesh High Court has already passed orders in the case. The court has said that only the top floors, which are under dispute, are to be dealt with as per law, while the lower two floors are protected under a status quo order. Muslim organisations say they are following the legal process and waiting for final directions.
A representative of the Waqf Board said the matter should not be turned into a threat. “We respect the court and we will act according to law,” he said. “Stopping prayers and giving deadlines creates pressure and hurts communal peace.” Local Muslims say the repeated protests have changed daily life in the area. “People feel watched and judged when they go to pray,” a resident said. “We are citizens of this country. We only want peace and equal treatment.”
Civil society members in Shimla have also called for calm. They say the language used by some groups can inflame feelings and disturb harmony in a city known for its mixed culture. No violence was reported on Monday, though police presence was increased near the Municipal Corporation office and around the mosque. Officials said law and order would be maintained and any action would be taken only as per court directions.
As the December 29 date approaches, Muslim groups have appealed to the authorities to protect the right to worship and stop actions that create fear. “Let the law take its course,” a local elder said. “Faith should not be turned into a tool for pressure.”