DEHRADUN: Tensions are rising in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, following controversial statements made by Anuj Walia, convener of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Walia has claimed that the documents of a house referred to as a mosque are "illegal, which is contradictory," and asserted that he possesses solid evidence to support his assertion.
In a move that has further heightened tensions, Walia announced plans to launch a massive movement under the banner of Devbhoomi Raksha. He intends to hold a maha panchayat at Ramlila Maidan in Uttarkashi on December 1.
Walia accused the mosque of becoming a “terrorist hub,” alleging it shelters several terrorists and serves as a centre for spreading Islamic jihad and religious conversion.
The mosque at the centre of the controversy has been deemed illegal by certain Hindu organisations, drawing sharp responses from local Hindu leaders.
Swami Darshan Bharti, founder of the Devbhoomi Raksha Sansthan, an umbrella group of Hindu organisations, firmly stated: “We have the sole demand, only and only to demolish the illegally built mosque.”
However, local authorities and officials have maintained that the mosque is legally registered, urging calm and restraint in the face of escalating rhetoric.
The situation is part of a broader pattern of communal tensions in the state, with incidents of hate speech and violence recently reported in districts like Purola and Haridwar.
The controversy over the mosque has its origins in a two-month-long dispute that turned violent on October 24. A protest march organised by the Sanyukt Sanatan Dharma Rakshak Sangh clashed with police, resulting in injuries and property damage.
Protesters, demanding the demolition of the mosque, alleged that it had been built illegally on government land. However, officials have maintained that the mosque was constructed on private property and is legally registered.
The conflict intensified after an RTI application was filed seeking clarification on the mosque's legitimacy. In response, the administration indicated that the mosque lacked certain documents, prompting the submission of a memorandum to the Uttarkashi District Magistrate, demanding the mosque’s demolition.
This led to further violence when protesters, armed with stones, clashed with police, who responded with a lathi charge. Authorities quickly imposed restrictions to maintain law and order. This incident is part of a disturbing pattern of protests and counter-protests surrounding the disputed mosque.
Uttarkashi SP Amit Srivastava clarified that the mosque is lawfully constructed on registered land owned by Muslims in the town. A committee headed by SDM Bhatwari also upheld the mosque's legitimacy, finding no evidence of encroachment on government land.
