New Delhi: A protest rally and a sit-in was staged by a number of members of a right-wing group and a few local residents in Berinag area of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. They were raising the demand for razing down of an “illegal mosque”, which they claimed was constructed inside a house and needed to be demolished, a Times of India report said.
Recently, a similar protest was held in Uttarkashi town over another “unlawful” mosque. Following the rally in Pithoragarh, Berinag’s SDM Srestha Gunsola summoned Abdul Nazim, the man who allegedly owns the house where the “illegal” mosque is located. The SDM sought clarification regarding the building’s status.
As per the SDM, the land ownership case is at present pending in the court of the Additional District Magistrate in Pithoragarh. Gunsola pointed out that Abdul Mazid was the original owner of the house. Mazid shifted to Haldwani later and died there. Nazim, Mazid’s son now has the ownership and the summons were issued to him. The SDM said that Nazim has been granted 15 days to reply to the summons.
The protest rally was organised by ‘Rashtriya Sewa Sangh’, which claimed that the house owned by a member of the minority community was illegally turned into a religious place where fellow community members were visiting in huge groups to offer namaz.
What happened in Uttarkashi
In October, a number of people, including police personnel, sustained injuries after a scuffle and stone-pelting in Uttarkashi when right-wing groups staged a protest rally questioning the legality of a mosque. Under the banner of Sanyukt Sanatan Dharm Rakshak Sangh, demonstrators took out a protest rally demanding the demolition of the mosque, just like they did in Pithoragarh.
Earlier this year, an RTI application was submitted seeking information regarding the legality of the mosque. In response, the administration said that they did not have the required documents. Subsequently, a memorandum was presented to the District Magistrate of Uttarkashi, urging the demolition of the mosque.
