Indefinite fast over mosque row puts spotlight back on Sanjauli

The Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti on Tuesday launched an indefinite fast outside the Sanjauli police station after an FIR was registered against six of its members for allegedly disturbing communal harmony. The FIR was filed following an incident last Friday when the members reportedly stopped several Muslim worshippers on their way to offer prayers at the disputed mosque in Sanjauli.

Sitting on protest, the samiti demanded that the FIR be withdrawn immediately and that the water and electricity supply to the mosque be cut without delay. They also pressed for the prompt demolition of the structure, which has repeatedly been declared illegal by both the Commissioner’s Court and the district court.

Addressing the gathering, samiti co-convener Vijay Sharma said despite clear demolition orders, the mosque continues to receive visitors for prayers and its utility connections remain active. He accused the Municipal Corporation of deliberately dragging its feet, while, according to him, the samiti members who raised the issue are being targeted with police cases.

Sharma claimed that people from outside the state had come to the mosque last Friday and were stopped by samiti members, leading to a confrontation. “Instead of acting on the illegal structure, the police have booked six of our members for hurting religious sentiments. This is unjust. We want the FIR quashed within 24 hours. The mosque must be sealed immediately and entry to the premises should be barred,” he said.

The samiti has warned that it will intensify its agitation and launch a statewide movement if authorities fail to take action.

The mosque has remained at the centre of escalating tension since last year, when a clash between two communities triggered fresh demands for its demolition. On October 5 last year, the Commissioner’s Court declared the top three floors of the mosque illegal and directed the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board and the Sanjauli Mosque Committee to demolish them.

In May this year, the court also declared the remaining two floors illegal. The Waqf Board and Mosque Committee challenged the ruling in the district court, but in October 2025, the district court upheld the demolition order in its entirety.