Govt assures HC it is maintaining law & order in Uttarkashi

By Arun Pratap Singh
Nainital, 16 Dec: The Uttarkashi Jama Masjid dispute case was heard in the High Court today. During the hearing, the state government assured the court that law and order is being maintained in Uttarkashi and that all steps are being taken to ensure safety of all religious structures there. The case was heard by a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Pankaj Purohit. The petition has been filed by the Muslim Community in this case.
It may be recalled that several Hindu organisations have claimed that the Uttarkashi Jama Masjid has been illegally constructed on encroached land. On the other hand, petitioners’ advocate Kartikeya Hari Gupta raised objections to these allegations, claiming that hate speeches have been given in the region against the Muslim community.
The petitioners have also moved through their lawyer an application seeking notice of contempt against the District Magistrate and SSP, Uttarkashi, for failing to act against those delivering hate speeches. The court has scheduled the next hearing for 24 December.
The petition has also claimed that, since 24 September, some organisations have labelled the Sunni community’s mosque on Bhatwari Road as illegal, creating tension between the communities. It stated that the mosque, built in 1969, had been inspected and deemed legal by the Waqf Commissioner in 1986. The petition requested the state government to protect the mosque and prevent inflammatory statements, which violate the Supreme Court’s order.
Meanwhile, the Uttarkashi administration, given the task by the government to examine the documents related to the property concerning the mosque and submit the report to the government, is yet to complete the investigation of land documents for the mosque. This has caused anguish among Hindu organisations, which claim that the district administration is not serious to share the factual situation in this regard with the people.