A portion of the historic Shahi Masjid in Ujjain is being removed as part of a road widening project linked to preparations for Simhastha 2028. The development triggered tension in the area on Monday, with reports of stone pelting and the use of tear gas by police.
The entire mosque is not being demolished. The action concerns the portion of the mosque that falls within the proposed road widening alignment.
Why Is the Mosque Portion Being Removed?
- The Ujjain Municipal Corporation is widening the road between Kanthal Chauraha and Gopal Mandir as part of the city’s infrastructure and traffic management plans for Simhastha 2028.
- The proposed road width is 15 metres. According to the administration’s position before the High Court, the widening is intended to improve traffic movement and public safety during major religious events, including Simhastha.
- The mosque committee and members of the Muslim community, however, had opposed the removal of the affected portion. They questioned whether an alternative road alignment or removal of structures on the opposite side could be considered instead.
What Did the High Court Decide?
- The legal dispute over the proposed removal has been before the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
- Earlier, on September 9, the Indore Bench dismissed petitions challenging the Ujjain Municipal Corporation’s decision. The court held that the authorities had followed the required legal procedure and rejected the argument that the mosque was being singled out because it was a religious structure.
- The court also noted that other religious structures had been affected by road widening work in Ujjain. According to the court record cited by The Indian Express, portions of 10 temples and one mosque had already been removed along the relevant road, while action had been taken involving around 80 religious places in the wider area.
- On September 28, the mosque side informed the High Court that a settlement had been reached with the Ujjain Municipal Corporation. The Division Bench of Justices Subodh Abhyankar and Jai Kumar Pillai subsequently disposed of the appeals in light of that settlement.
What Happened on the Ground?
- Despite discussions between the administration and mosque representatives, tension developed when the removal work began on Monday.
- Members of the Muslim community had gathered at the mosque overnight to oppose the proposed removal. When the work proceeded, clashes were reported between police and people gathered at the site. Police alleged that stones were thrown at security personnel and used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
- Police subsequently increased security around sensitive areas. Reports said 15 people were detained and seven booked in connection with the disruption, while investigators were examining CCTV and video footage to identify others allegedly involved.
Muslim Community’s Position
- Members of the Muslim community have maintained that the Shahi Masjid is an important historical and religious structure and had questioned why the road could not be widened through an alternative alignment.
- Earlier reports also quoted community representatives saying that previous road widening work had not affected religious structures and that they wanted the mosque excluded from the project.
- At the same time, City Qazi Khalil Qureshi Rehman, who was involved in discussions with the administration, appealed to people to stay away from the site, maintain peace and avoid rumours.
Is This About One Community Against Another?
- The available court record and reporting do not establish that the road widening project was designed to benefit one religious community or target another.
- The administration’s stated reason is infrastructure development and traffic management ahead of Simhastha 2028. The High Court also noted that other religious structures had been affected by the wider road widening exercise.
- However, the removal of part of the Shahi Masjid has generated legitimate community concerns and opposition, which are an important part of the story. Those concerns should be reported as the position of the affected community rather than presented as an established finding about the government’s motive.
Current Status
- As of September 28, partial removal of the affected mosque portion is underway, while the main mosque structure remains. Security forces continue to monitor the area following the clashes.
- The High Court has now disposed of the appeals after being informed of the settlement between the mosque side and the municipal corporation.
- The Ujjain administration has appealed for calm and urged people to rely on official information rather than unverified social media claims.
Business Galaxy will continue to monitor the situation and report further developments based on official statements and verified ground reports.
