The police in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain on Monday fired tear gas at Muslim protestors against the proposed demolition of a mosque, resulting in the flaring of tension. Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were present at the site to keep the situation under control, news agency ANI reported.
This comes amidst the proposed demolition of a portion of the Shahi Masjid following a road widening project in Ujjain ahead of the Simhastha 2028 fair held every 12 years on the bank of the Kshipra River.
As the part of the mosque was demolished in the road widening work, it garnered the attention of the community, opposing the removal of the mosque portion. The matter is scheduled to be heard by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday.
The police and municipal team brought machinery to the site. The residents, as highlighted by the scroll, were trying to persuade residents and members of the committee that manages the mosque to cooperate with the proposed demolition.
Objecting to the demolition, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi called on the state government to respect the public sentiments.
“The administrative efforts to demolish the Ujjain Shahi Masjid under the pretext of road widening should be a bit more sensitive. Demolishing a 600-year-old heritage site just for road widening and development in the name of progress is the height of hatred. It has come to my notice that when the matter is pending in court, what message does the administration intend to send by repeatedly laying siege to the masjid? Thousands of youth in Ujjain are continuously raising their voices on this issue,” he said.
“My request to the Ujjain administration is to respect public sentiments and acquire the necessary land for road widening from the other side. Demolishing such a historically significant heritage site cannot be considered a normal event under any circumstances,” he added.
Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had dismissed a petition challenging the Ujjain Municipal Corporation’s notice. The Indore bench, in its September 9 order, allowed the authorities to proceed with the partial removal, citing the road widening requirements and preparations for Simhastha 2028.
