Tension flared in Ujjain after a group of people clashed with police over the municipal corporation’s proposal to demolish parts of a mosque as part of a road-widening project ahead of preparations for the Simhastha Kumbh.
Security has been tightened around the Shahi Masjid Complex after sporadic protests and incidents of stone-pelting were reported on Monday. Videos circulating on social media showed police using tear gas and lathis to disperse a crowd.
According to reports, as many as 272 structures in the city have been marked for demolition to widen the 730-metre road connecting Khajur Wali Masjid to Ganesh Chowk. The centuries-old Shahi Masjid is among the structures proposed for partial demolition, with portions of the prayer hall, a minaret and other associated structures set to be affected.
The controversy took a political turn after Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi objected to the proposed demolition and urged the state government to respect religious sentiments.
“The administrative efforts to demolish the Ujjain Shahi Masjid under the pretext of road widening should be a bit more sensitive. Demolishing a 600-year-old heritage site just for road widening and development in the name of progress is the height of hatred,” Pratapgarhi was quoted as saying by ANI.
He urged the government to acquire land on the other side of the road for the widening project, arguing that the demolition of a historically significant heritage site should not be treated as a routine development exercise.
According to officials, the road is an important and busy link in the city, and its widening is aimed at improving traffic management during the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2028, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, held once every 12 years.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav himself dug up a portion of his ancestral home to make way for the Rs 9.8-crore project. Yadav used a pickaxe to demolish a portion of the property, part of which will be removed for the road-widening project.
“When it comes to the development of the city, we should be the first to set an example as public servants,” he said.
