Hindu Temples: What Happened to Them v2.c19.s1.7

v2.c19.s1.7

But before the Commission could receive a reply from the Survey, Begum Ayesha Sheikh, MLA, of the Gujarat Assembly wrote to the Chairman, Minorities Commission about the threats to which the local Muslims were being continually subjected by the majority community and especially the Jan Sangh and the RSS elements for their use of the Jama Masjid and that this had created a serious communal tension in the town.⁶ The Commission wrote to the Government of Gujarat on December 7, 1979 and asked for a factual report. On 16th January, 1980, says the Commissions Report, Government of Gujarat denied any RSS hand in the demand of the local Hindus for conversion of the Jama Masjid at Sidhpur into a temple as alleged. The State Government further reported that the dispute between the Muslims and the Hindus about the use of the Jama Masjid had been going on for quite some time past and that the local police and State Government were aware of the situation. They also assured the Commission that there was no possibility of any communal trouble at Sidhpur.⁷