The December 1 Mahapanchayat, called by the local right-wing organisations against a controversial mosque in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, has raised concerns for the Nainital High Court which directed the Uttarakhand government and the district administration to maintain law and order in the area. The High Court’s direction follows a petition filed by a Muslim organisation seeking government security for the mosque and action against the Mahapanchayat organisers.

The administration informed the High Court that no permission had been given for Mahapanchayat on December 1.

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Local right-wing organisations and their leaders have announced plans to hold a Mahapanchayat against the mosque, which they claim is illegal and constructed on encroached government land. In October, a similar massive rally against the alleged illegal mosque was organised by right-wing activists, resulting in a police lathicharge. Several policemen were injured in the incident.

As preparations for the December 1 Mahapanchayat gather momentum, aiming to ensure heavy public turnout, the Nainital High Court on Wednesday inquired about the administration’s preparedness to manage the situation while hearing a petition. In response, the Uttarkashi district administration stated that no permission had been granted to the organisers for the Mahapanchayat.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Vivek Bharti Sharma directed the district administration and police to maintain law and order in Uttarkashi. The court was hearing a petition filed by the ‘Alpsankhyak Seva Samiti’, which claimed that a Mahapanchayat was being organised against a mosque on December 1 and demanded its cancellation. Responding to the to petition, the Uttarkashi district administration informed the court that no permission had been granted for the Mahapanchayat. The administration assured the court that the law and order situation was under control, with police maintaining round-the-clock surveillance to prevent any untoward incidents.

The Uttarkashi-based Alpsankhyak Seva Samiti, in its petition, also stated that some organisations were threatening to demolish a Sunni community mosque on Bhatwadi Road, labelling it illegal. “This has created a tense atmosphere in the area. The state government must be ordered to protect the mosque” the Samiti stated in its plea. The petition emphasised that the mosque was legally constructed in 1969 on purchased land. It further claimed that the mosque’s legality had been affirmed in 1986 after an inspection conducted by the Waqf Commissioner.

The petitioner alleged that inflammatory statements made by some people violated a Supreme Court order. “The SC mandates all states to file cases against hate speeches based on caste, religion, or community. However, the state government has not adhered to these directives in this matter,” the petitioner stated.