AhlulBayt News Agency: In a stark illustration of the escalating oppression faced by India's Muslim minority, the Sanjauli mosque in Shimla—long a symbol of communal harmony in the hill state—has become the latest flashpoint in a wave of Hindutva-driven attacks on Muslim places of worship and institutions. This incident, unfolding amid a broader surge in Islamophobia under the influence of right-wing ideologies, highlights how judicial rulings are being weaponized to marginalize Muslims, forcing them into a state of constant fear and self-censorship. Reports from various sources indicate that such actions are part of a pattern where Hindutva groups, often with tacit or overt support from political figures, target mosques to assert dominance and erode Muslim rights.
The atmosphere at the protest site in Sanjauli turned increasingly hostile as activists from right-wing organizations, including the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti and Dev Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, not only demanded the demolition of the mosque but also called for a boycott of goods and services provided by the Muslim community—a tactic reminiscent of economic warfare aimed at isolating and impoverishing Muslims.
This boycott rhetoric echoes similar campaigns in other parts of India, where Hindutva groups have fueled communal tensions to push anti-Muslim agendas, contributing to a documented spike in hate crimes and forced migrations of Muslim workers. The mosque, which a local court had earlier deemed unauthorized after a prolonged legal battle involving the State Waqf Board, stood deserted on Friday, its main gate bolted shut amid heavy police deployment. This judicial outcome, upheld by higher courts despite appeals, has been criticized by human rights groups as part of a systemic bias that disproportionately scrutinizes Muslim religious structures while ignoring similar irregularities in others.
Protesters, who had been on an indefinite hunger strike outside the nearby police station, partially disrupted traffic but refrained from direct advances toward the mosque, thanks to the police presence. However, tensions spiked when a few individuals entered the building via a side passage, prompting immediate outcry from the activists.
This led to intensified demands to seal the mosque and cut off its utilities, framing any Muslim religious activity as illegitimate in a structure labeled "illegal." Such demands align with a nationwide trend of Hindutva-led vigilantism, where mosques are vandalized, prayers disrupted, and communities harassed under the guise of enforcing "law and order." A viral video capturing these entries further inflamed the situation, even as district officials, including Additional District Magistrate Pankaj Sharma, engaged with the protesters to de-escalate.
Maulana Shahzad Alam, the mosque's cleric and a salaried employee of the Waqf Board, confirmed that no prayers were offered that day, with worshippers redirected to other mosques to avoid confrontation. This self-imposed avoidance underscores the pervasive fear among Muslims, who are increasingly compelled to forgo their religious practices to evade violence or harassment—a direct consequence of rising Islamophobia that has seen attacks on mosques in states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and now Himachal Pradesh. Local resident Mohammed Irfan from Dhalli echoed this sentiment, noting that he and his friends opted for alternative mosques due to the heavy police presence and volatile environment. Mosque committee members had subtly advised against attending, reflecting a community under siege.
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