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While a Hindutva group claims that mosques have been built on state land, Local Muslim residents rejected the allegations, saying the claims had created fear and uncertainty in the area.

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A Hindu group has alleged that three mosques in Himachal Pradesh’s Nerwa tehsil were constructed on government land, intensifying communal tensions and prompting concerns among Muslim residents about public threats and selective targeting.

Hindu Raksha Manch, a little-known outfit active in parts of the state, said on Tuesday that information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act showed two mosques –Masjid Rahman and Masjid Bilal – were located on land owned by the government. At a press conference in Shimla, the group demanded immediate action by the district administration and warned of protests if no steps were taken.

“These constructions are illegal and part of a planned effort,” said Kamal Gautam, president of the organisation, without providing documentary evidence beyond the RTI claim. He also alleged that such structures were changing the state’s demographic profile, a charge frequently raised by Hindu nationalist groups but not supported by official data.

Local Muslim residents rejected the allegations, saying the claims had created fear and uncertainty in the area. Members of mosque committees said they were being publicly accused without being given a hearing or access to the documents cited by the group.

“We are being named and shamed, and threats are being made openly,” said a resident of Nerwa. “If there is a legal issue, it should be examined by the authorities, not settled through pressure on the streets.”

Community leaders said the controversy followed a familiar pattern, drawing parallels with earlier disputes involving mosques elsewhere in the state, including in Sanjauli. “Each time, the focus is on Muslim religious places alone,” said a Muslim leader in Shimla, calling for equal application of the law.

The row has put the Congress-led state government under scrutiny. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has faced appeals from minority groups to ensure protection of places of worship and prevent public intimidation. A senior Congress leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said land records should be examined strictly as per law, adding that “no organisation should be allowed to act as judge and enforcer.”

As calls for protests grow, residents say the administration’s response will signal whether disputes over land are addressed through legal processes or political pressure.