Correspondent
SHILLONG, JUL 17: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Friday locked down a masjid at Fourth Furlong in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong, alleging that it was illegally constructed without proper authorisation and documentation.
“We have locked the masjid after we came to learnt that it was built without documents or permission from concerned authorities,” Khasi Students’ Union Organising Secretary Cleenstar Shabong said.
He said the masjid will be kept under lock and key until relevant documents, including proof of land ownership and official approvals authorising the construction of the place of worship, are produced and verified.
According to Cleenstar Shabong, the masjid was built in a plot of land by an individual named Nurul Choudhary who is an “outsider”. The closure of the masjid came after Khasi Students’ Union members locked an under-construction Hindu temple inside the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office premises in Mawdiangdiang area on July 14.
Khasi Students’ Union KSU had issued a one-week ultimatum demanding its demolition, stating that the government land was allotted only for official use.
Khasi Students’ Union threatened to take “stronger democratic steps” if the structure was not removed within the deadline.
Condemning the closure of the temple, The Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP), a prominent Assam-based Hindu organisation, had urged Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to step in and ensure that people across the state are allowed equal freedom to practice religion without obstruction.
However, the Khasi Students’ Union reiterated its stance to monitor and act against any illegal construction in the city, especially those lacking the required legal permissions.