New Delhi: The already tense atmosphere in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, following deadly clashes over a mosque survey, has been further inflamed by the recent fining of an imam for allegedly using a loudspeaker at high volume.
Twenty-three-year-old Tahzeeb, imam of the Anar Wali Masjid in the Kot Garvi area, was fined Rs 2 lakh and given a six-month conditional release for the alleged violation, according to Sambhal Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vandana Mishra. This incident comes just days after four people were killed in violence during the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a Mughal-era mosque in the same area.
“The loudspeaker was being used at high volume in the mosque, prompting action in the case. The imam, identified as 23-year-old Tahzeeb, was fined Rs 2 lakh as a precautionary measure and has been granted bail,” Sambhal Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vandana Mishra said.
Since November 24th violence after the violence erupted in Sambhal during the mosque survey, the region is simmering with communal tensions. The clashes quickly escalated into a major political controversy, reverberating through the Indian Parliament.
The political fallout has been significant. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in her maiden Lok Sabha speech, strongly criticised the BJP for the violence in Sambhal. She highlighted the struggles faced by families affected by the violence, including those directly affected by the Shahi Jama Masjid incident.
The opposition’s reaction to the violence has been swift. Earlier this week, Leader of Opposition (LoP)Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met with families of the victims in Delhi, while their attempts to visit Sambhal itself were blocked by authorities. Mamlook Ur Rehman, father of Sambhal Lok Sabha MP Zia Ur Rehman (himself an accused in the November 24th violence), has accused the police of atrocities against locals and stated that the tense situation will only improve once arrests cease. While around 40 suspects have been arrested for the violence at the Shahi Jama Masjid, the ongoing tension is palpable.
The Apex court stated that no fresh suits challenging ownership and title of places of worship will be filed until a final verdict is reached regarding the validity of the Places of Worship 1991 Act.
Adding another layer of complexity, Mamlook Ur Rehman praised the Supreme Court’s decision to restrain courts from entertaining fresh lawsuits seeking the reclamation of religious places, especially mosques and dargahs.
