Violence erupts over demolition of part of royal mosque in Ujjain
A portion of the royal mosque is set to be demolished for road widening ahead of the 2028 Simhastha Kumbh.
Tension escalated on Monday morning regarding the removal of a part of the royal mosque for road widening under the Simhastha Kumbh 2028 preparations in Ujjain. A clash occurred between local residents protesting the action and the police. After stones were thrown at police personnel, the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. There was significant uproar against the removal of part of the royal mosque. Over 100 people gathered at the Tanki Chauraha in the city, with some throwing stones at the police.
According to a report by Indian Express, as people began to gather near the mosque, the police fired tear gas shells to disperse them. Meanwhile, women staged a sit-in. During the removal of the women, Crime Branch officer Pushpa Panchal was injured.
It is noteworthy that the 900-meter road from Kanthal Chauraha to Gopal Mandir is being widened to 15 meters for the Simhastha to be held in Ujjain in 2028.
The Indore bench of the High Court is set to hear this matter on Monday. The Ujjain Municipal Corporation is widening the approximately 900-meter-long road from Kanthal Chauraha to Gopal Mandir to 15 meters. According to the administration, a part of the mosque falls within the proposed road limits. Reports suggest that most other religious structures along this route have already been removed.
On Sunday night, a police and municipal corporation team arrived at the site with JCBs and other machinery, but the action could not proceed due to the large number of people gathered in protest. Some members of the community stayed inside the mosque overnight. When the action began on Monday morning, the crowd gathered again, leading to a confrontation with the police.
Security has been increased around the mosque. Reports indicate that around 2,000 police personnel have been deployed in the area. Movement has been restricted within a radius of approximately 500 meters with barricades. Senior police and administrative officials are present at the site.
There was also a discussion between the administration and representatives of the mosque at night. Some reports claimed that the affected part would be removed by the community members themselves, but opposition resurfaced when the action began on Monday.
The mosque committee and members of the Muslim community demand that an alternative route be taken for road widening or that the structures in front of the mosque be removed. They argue that this religious site, registered as Waqf property, should be protected.
The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court had dismissed two petitions challenging the municipal corporation's decision on September 9. The court held that the authorities followed the legal process and that the proposed action does not violate Articles 14, 25, 26, or 300A of the Constitution. The court also mentioned the importance of the road for traffic management during the Simhastha. The mosque committee has since approached the division bench, where the hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Local residents reported that the crowd increased after bulldozers were stationed outside the mosque on Sunday night. Residents of the neighborhood have been staying awake inside the mosque for several weeks in anticipation of possible action.
Indore's religious leader Mufti Junaid alleged that despite the ongoing dispute, the administration attempted to remove part of the mosque. According to him, many other old mosques in Ujjain are also at risk of similar action. If action is taken against the royal mosque, 28 other mosques could also be affected.
There are plans to widen the 730-meter-long road from Khajur Wali Mosque to Ganesh Chowk by 15 meters.
The aim is to create more space for the movement of devotees around the Mahakaleshwar Temple. The project will affect 272 structures. The part of the royal mosque proposed for removal includes the Jamaat Khana, a 120-foot tall minaret, and the Mazhar Chowk Shahi.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently dismissed two petitions challenging the notice issued by the Ujjain Municipal Corporation. Justice Sandeep N. Bhatt stated that the proposed action is in accordance with applicable legal provisions and that those managing the mosque were given an opportunity to be heard.
According to Zaid Pathan, a lawyer for the Association for Protection of Civil Rights,
the representative committee is preparing to challenge the High Court's order in the Supreme Court. He stated that currently, people are unanimously sitting inside the mosque to protest the proposed action.