What is the Sequence of Shahi Jama Masjid that Triggered Clashes in Sambhal District of Uttar Pradesh?

Shahi Jama Masjid Row: The Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, has become the epicenter of a major controversy following violent clashes over a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era mosque. The unrest, which resulted in the deaths of three people and several injuries, including security personnel and administrative officials, raised concerns about communal tensions in the region.

Petition Regarding Jama Masjid and Its Construction

Located in Chandausi, Jama Masjid is a protected monument under the Protection of Ancient Monuments Act, 1904. It is listed as a “Monument of National Importance” by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and is located on the ASI website at: Moradabad division of Agra circle.

The violence broke out when investigators reached the town of Chandausi to conduct a second survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid following the court order. Violence broke out on Sunday when an investigation team appointed by the Civil Court Judge (Senior Division) conducted a videographic survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The court order stemmed from a petition claiming that a Harihar temple existed on the site of the mosque allegedly destroyed by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529, news agency PTI reported. Tensions had been rising since Tuesday, when the first survey was conducted, but it was not completed. Officials scheduled the follow-up survey for Sunday morning to avoid interference with prayers.

The petition was submitted on November 19, alleging that a temple was demolished in 1526 to build the mosque. Civil Judge (Senior Division) Aditya Singh of Sambhal in Chandausi ordered the survey to be conducted and appointed a lawyer commissioner to conduct the first survey on the same day. A survey report is expected to be submitted by November 29, The Indian Express reported.

The petition was filed by eight persons, including advocate Hari Shankar Jain, known for his involvement in the Gyanvapi Masjid-Kashi Vishwanath case, Advocate Parth Yadav and Mahant Rishiraj Giri of Kalki Devi Temple. According to the Indian Express report, other petitioners include Noida’s Ved Pal Singh and Sambhal residents: Rakesh Kumar, Jitpal Yadav, Madanpal and Deenanath.

The petition alleges that the centuries-old Shri Hari Har Temple, dedicated to Lord Kalki, has been unlawfully taken over by the Jama Masjid Committee. The plea states that Sambhal has significant religious value in Hindu scriptures as the place where Kalki, the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was prophesied to appear.

It is also claimed that the Shri Hari Har Temple was partially demolished and converted into a mosque by Hindu Beg, a lieutenant in Emperor Babar’s army, in 1527-28. The petitioners argue that the monument is protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Ruins Act 1958 and that the public has a legal right to access the site, according to the report.

Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, urged the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take control of the temple. “There is a possibility of destruction of evidence. This is a monument protected by ASI. ASI should intervene immediately, X said.

The petition accuses ASI of failing to maintain control of the monument and alleges that its officials bowed to pressure from the Muslim community. The petitioners asked the court to allow access to the site and restrain the mosque committee and other officials from blocking public access. It was also stated that a permanent injunction was requested against the intervention of the mosque administrators.

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Political Reactions to Jama Masjid Row and Sambhal Conflicts

Sambhal Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rehman Barq criticized the petition and said, “Foreigners have tried to disrupt the social harmony of the region by submitting a petition of this nature to the court.” Barq emphasized that the Supreme Court’s 1991 Worship Act protects all religious places as it stood in 1947. “Jama Masjid in Sambhal is a historical place where Muslims have been worshiping for several centuries. “If we do not get a satisfactory decision from the local court, we have the right to appeal to the high court,” Barq added, as quoted by the Indian Express.

Sunday’s violence sparked harsh political reactions. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of organizing the poll to promote communal divisions. BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said no one can claim that it is their constitutional right to break the law or throw stones to obstruct the implementation of a court order. “No one has the right to break the law. If a court gives a decision, it will be implemented. Due process is available for those who want the decision to be changed,” PTI quoted him as saying. He emphasized that those who do not accept the court decisions should take legal action.

Another BJP spokesperson, Ajay Alok, gave weapons training to the INDIA bloc, claiming the violence was a deliberate attempt to cause instability.

The situation remains tense as the police have filed seven FIRs in connection with the violence, naming Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and local SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood’s son Sohail Iqbal as the accused.