The ongoing dispute over the controversial mosque in Sanjauli, a suburb of Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, is not letting up. Traders from the city took to the streets of Shimla on Thursday following violent protests in Sanjauli on Wednesday. Traders have come on the path of agitation after the police lathi-charged people protesting against the illegal construction in the mosque. Traders rallied in protest and chanted Hanuman Chalisa on the road. Violent protests by the Hindu community in Sanjauli involved many traders. Several traders were injured in lathi charge. Upset by the lathicharge, traders protested by locking their shops. On the call of the Shimla Chamber of Commerce, traders took out a protest rally from Share-e-Punjab to the Deputy Commissioner’s office via Lower Bazaar. The protesting traders raised slogans demanding the dismissal of the Shimla SP. Traders say, it is not at all right for the police to lathi charge the protesting Hindus.
Sanjauli Bazaar remains closed for second day in a row:
The entire market of Sanjauli remained closed for the second consecutive day due to the controversial mosque. Business associations in the suburbs have also closed their shops in protest against lathicharge. Shops were also seen locked in the suburbs of Dhali, Tutoo and Baluguanj. Shimla Chamber of Commerce President Sanjiv Thakur has said that shops were kept closed from 10 am to 1 am in protest of the incident of lathi charge on the Hindu community in Sanjauli. He said that it was closed for only three hours and through this we want to raise our voice to the administration. He said that local businessman and BJP assembly candidate from Shimla Urban area Sanjay Sood was also injured in the lathi charge in Sanjauli. There are injury marks on his face. And lathi charge on other leaders including Sanjay Sood is very reprehensible. Strict action should be taken against people from outside states who are doing business here without revealing their identity. He warned the administration that the agitation would be intensified if this was not done.
#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Shimla Vyapar Mandal calls a half-day market shutdown today from 10 am to 1 pm in the wake of the alleged illegal construction of a mosque in Sanjauli area for which a protest was held yesterday.
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2024
Visuals from Sanjauli Main Bazar. pic.twitter.com/yl2IlWN4xF