Court questions how a single floor became five stories at the contested Sanjauli mosque in Shimla, which is owned by the Waqf.

 Just days after Himachal Pradesh's Rural Development Minister, Anirudh Singh, voiced concerns about illegal constructions in the state, a new twist emerged in a long-standing dispute over a mosque in Sanjauli. On Saturday, the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board informed a Shimla court that it owns the mosque. However, the main controversy is over the addition of extra floors to the building.

Court questions how a single floor became five stories at the contested Sanjauli mosque in Shimla, which is owned by the Waqf.

For years, locals in Sanjauli have been protesting against what they believe is an illegally constructed mosque. They've been demanding that the structure be demolished. This matter, which has been tied up in court for 14 years, recently reignited tensions when a businessman was allegedly attacked by Muslim youths in a nearby area.

According to Kutubuddin Ahmed, an official from the Waqf Board, the Municipal Commissioner’s court had issued a notice to the board in 2023. The Waqf Board responded to the court, but residents, represented by advocate Jagat Pal, argue that the case has dragged on for too long. Pal emphasized that the real issue isn’t religious, but a matter of illegal construction. He claims the mosque should be torn down since its expansion violated building regulations.

The court has now requested both the Waqf Board and the mosque committee to explain how the original single-story structure transformed into a five-story building. The court also asked for a detailed report on the construction.

Residents have questioned the Waqf Board’s ownership of the land, pointing to government records showing the state owns it. However, Kutubuddin Ahmed maintained that the dispute is about the mosque’s expansion, not ownership, and argued that the Waqf Board became the rightful owner when Shimla was still part of Punjab. Despite the legal issues, he assured that prayers would continue in the mosque.

Tensions continue to rise. On Thursday, several Hindu groups organized a large protest near the state assembly, calling for the mosque's demolition. Kamal Gautam, head of the Hindu Jagran Manch’s Himachal unit, accused the mosque of harboring “outsiders.”

Earlier in the week, Minister Anirudh Singh himself weighed in, expressing concerns about illegal construction, which he believes may be linked to migrants, possibly from Bangladesh or the Rohingya community. Singh demanded a full investigation, claiming that the mosque’s construction began without proper approval. He noted that it started as a single floor and expanded illegally to five stories.

Singh also dismissed claims that the mosque had been there since 1960, stating that construction began in 2010, and he promised to present records to back up his statement in the state assembly. He further expressed surprise that by 2019, four additional floors had been added illegally.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 5, when more details will likely come to light.