Jairam Thakur condemns use of force on protesters in Sanjauli, questions government’s intent
Shimla, September 11: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has strongly condemned the lathicharge and use of water cannons on unarmed protesters during recent demonstrations over illegal construction of a mosque in Sanjauli. Thakur criticized the state government’s way of handling the situation and alleged that the government has been acting in a partisan and callous manner from the very beginning.
Terming the use of force as “unfortunate”, Thakur expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to take appropriate action in relation to the mosque, which, according to him, is not legal. “Instead of resolving the issue legally, the Chief Minister chose to threaten the protesters, hurting public sentiments and further worsening the situation by vowing to deal with them strictly. This is a complete failure of the government,” Thakur said.
The protest, which started as a demonstration by local residents against the alleged illegal mosque construction, soon turned violent as protesters clashed with the police. The opposition leader criticized the government’s lack of sensitivity and understanding, saying that people’s sentiments were evident from the first day of the protest. He emphasized that the state government’s negligent attitude allowed the situation to go out of control.
Thakur also raised serious concerns over the lack of action against people living in the mosque building, some of whom, he claimed, were involved in a violent clash with a local resident. The resident was seriously injured, and the attackers allegedly took refuge in the mosque. “Reports suggest that people living in the building have not been properly identified, raising concerns that they may be Rohingya or Bangladeshi nationals. Why has the government stopped the registration and verification process for migrants, which was started by the previous administration?” Thakur questioned.
Further criticizing the government’s attitude, Thakur accused the chief minister of ignoring public concerns and failing to assure the people of Himachal Pradesh that justice will be delivered. “The attitude of the government has been extremely negative. The chief minister neither interacted with the public nor appealed for peace. The state has handled the entire episode insensitively and the intelligence machinery has completely failed,” he said.
The opposition leader also highlighted the administration’s failure to control the crowd during the protest. A large number of people from across the state gathered in Sanjauli, yet the government did not take adequate steps to control the unrest, such as shutting down schools in the affected area. Pointing out that young children were stranded after school, Thakur said, “Who will take responsibility for the trouble these children faced?” Thakur concluded her remarks by accusing the administration of negligence at every level, from failing to make the necessary arrests in the case of the attack to providing protection to unruly elements.
He urged the government to take “appropriate action” and mend its ways. “The government should have dealt with the issue within the legal framework instead of allowing it to escalate under pressure from higher authorities,” Thakur asserted.
The people of Himachal Pradesh deserve transparency and fairness and the government needs to act responsibly.” The protest over the illegal mosque construction in Sanjauli has now become a major issue, sparking debate over government accountability, implementation of laws and treatment of local communities in sensitive matters. Jairam Thakur’s comments have further fuelled the ongoing political debate, with opposition leaders demanding greater accountability from the state government.
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