A Hindu organization, Rashtriya Sewa Sangathan, has claimed that an abandoned house in Berinag, Uttarakhand, has been unlawfully converted into a mosque for offering Namaz (prayers). Following a protest by the group, authorities have launched an investigation into the matter.
Members of the Hindu outfit gathered outside the sub-divisional magistrate’s office in Berinag on October 6, demanding the removal of what they described as an “illegal” mosque being run from a residential building. The protesters alleged that a vacant house in the area had been turned into a place for Muslim prayers without proper authorization.
In response to the protest, Pithoragarh district magistrate, Vinod Girish Goswami, confirmed that an inquiry had been initiated after the group submitted a memorandum outlining their concerns. Himanshu Joshi, founder-president of Rashtriya Sewa Sangathan, warned that if the mosque was not removed, they would escalate their protest nationwide.
Local officials revealed that a case under section 196/2 of BNS, which relates to promoting enmity between groups based on religion, had been registered against some members of Rashtriya Sewa Sangathan after they livestreamed the mosque on social media.
According to locals, the house in question belongs to Azim, a resident of Haldwani, and has been used by around 100 Muslim families for offering Namaz for the past 25 years. They also claimed that a section of the building functions as a madrasa (Islamic school). While the exterior of the house appears like a regular residence, they stated that it has been adapted for use as a mosque inside.
In a related incident, on September 9, another Hindu organization, the Sanyukt Sanatan Dharam Rakshak Sangh, submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate of Uttarkashi, Meharban Singh Bisht, demanding the demolition of another mosque. They alleged that it was built on unregistered land. However, local authorities clarified that, according to revenue records, the mosque was not illegal.
