Dehradun: The district administration of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand has permitted a Mahapanchayat on December 1, 2024 amid communal tensions surrounding the mosque row.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mukesh Ramola confirmed the permission for Mahapanchayat saying “Organisers (Devbhoomi Vichar Manch) had been seeking permission for some time.” He added that the administration has made elaborate security arrangements. Ramola however siad that the permission is subject to the condition that no communal statements will be made by the organisers.
“We have granted permission, but any disturbance to public order will lead to immediate cancellation,” he warned.
Mahapanchayat on Sunday
The event has been approved with 16 conditions. As part of the conditions, Section 163 has been enforced within a 50-meter radius of the mosque located on the Bhatwari road in Uttarkashi. Organisers have also been instructed to ensure that “no inflammatory speeches are made, no large gatherings near the mosque take place, and no weapons or sticks are carried during the event.”
Police forces across Uttarkashi have been deployed to maintain law and order during the event, as many right-wing organizations are expected to attend Mahapanchayat.
The dispute
The mosque in Uttarkashi was built in 1969. The land on which the mosque stands was sold by a person from one community to seven people from another community.
However, in 2005, the land records for the mosque were updated, which led to a legal dispute. The controversy intensified in September 2023, when the same religious group filed an RTI seeking information about the mosque’s construction, calling it illegal leading to an escalation.
The dispute over this 55-year-old mosque further escalated in recent months when a specific religious group labeled this mosque as ‘illegal’ and held a protest rally. Uttarakhand Police took action and registered cases against 8 named accused and more than 200 unidentified persons.
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