Sanjauli Mosque dispute: Traders take to the streets, demand SP’s dismissal

Shimla, September 12: There is chaos in Shimla for the second consecutive day over the Sanjauli Mosque dispute and the issue is not stopping. After the violent protest in Sanjauli on Wednesday, now on Thursday, the businessmen of the city have taken to the streets of Shimla. There is a lot of anger among the businessmen of the city against the lathicharge by the police on the protesters against the illegal construction in the mosque.

In fact, many businessmen were also involved in the violent protest of the Hindu community in Sanjauli. Some businessmen have been injured in the lathicharge. Enraged by the lathicharge, the businessmen have locked the shops today. On the call of Shimla Vyapar Mandal, the businessmen took out a protest rally from Sher-e-Punjab to the Deputy Commissioner’s office via Lower Bazaar on Thursday. The protesting businessmen raised slogans to dismiss SP Shimla. The businessmen say that it is absolutely not right for the police to lathicharge the protesting Hindus. On the call of Shimla Vyapar Mandal, all the main markets of the city have been kept closed for half a day on Thursday.

The shops of Shimla’s famous Mall Road, Lower Bazaar, Ram Bazaar, Kasumpati, Panthaghati and Lakkar Bazaar are closed since morning. The entire market of Sanjauli, which has been in the news due to the controversial mosque, is also closed. The business associations of the suburbs have also kept the shops closed against the lathicharge. Shops in Dhali, Totu and Baluganj suburbs are also closed.

Shimla Vyapar Mandal President Sanjeev Thakur has said that the shops have been closed from 10 am to 1 pm on Thursday morning in protest against the lathicharge incident on the Hindu community in Sanjauli. He said that this shutdown is only for three hours and through this we want to make our voice heard by the administration.