Worship war reaches Punjab: Hindus, Sikhs claim sarai converted into mosque, Muslims deny
India Today
In Rajpura in Punjab's Patiala, Hindus and Sikhs have claimed that a Sikh sarai was converted into a mosque. The Muslim community has denied the allegation and said the mosque dates back to the pre-Independence era.
As the Gyanvapi mosque row continues to rage in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, a similar controversy has now emerged in Rajpura in Punjab’s Patiala.
Members of the Sikh and Hindu communities have accused the Muslim community of forcefully occupying and converting what was a Sikh sarai into a mosque.
The Muslim community has denied the allegation and stated that the mosque in Gujranwala Mohalla dates back to the pre-independence era.
According to locals, two Sikh families had been living in the disputed structure till 2017 and were allegedly forced to leave. The Waqf board staked claim on the structure in 2016, it has been learnt.
Locals told India Today that the sarai began 'turning' into a mosque two years ago a dome was built and it was painted green, they said.
It has also been alleged that symbols of Sikh religion were removed from the structure.
The Muslim community has said the mosque existed even before 1947 and has only been renovated now.
