New Delhi: A petition has been filed in Aligarh court claiming that city’s Jama Masjid was built over an ancient temple and sought that it be declared illegal. The petition submitted on Wednesday was filed by an RTI activist named Pandit Keshav Dev Gautam.
In his petition, Gautam claimed that Aligarh Jama Masjid was built on Jain, Buddhist and Hindu temples. The man said that he had sought records from the government about the origin of Jama Masjid, which was reportedly built in the 18the century.
Response from govt bodies in RTI
Gautam filed the petition after receiving responses from government departments including Aligarh Municipal Corporation, under Right to Information (RTI), said a report in Times of India.
The RTI activist claimed Aligarh Municipal Corporation (AMC) informed him that the Jama Masjid was constructed on public land and without proper approval. Gathering all the responses, Gautam said he filed the petition in local court seeking that the mosque committee be declared illegal.
‘Govt must take possession of mosque land’
Gautam has also demanded that the government take the possession of the mosque. The case is likely to be heard on February 15. The fresh case claiming ‘mosque over temple’ comes in the backdrop of Supreme Court ruling that no fresh case challenging the character of a religious structure be filed unless a decision is made on the validity of the Places of Worship Act, 1991.
The apex court has also barred local courts from issuing any fresh order for surveys or interim order regarding a religious place.
Allahabad HC halts proceedings in Sambhal case
Hearing a similar case, the Allahabad High Court has halted all proceedings in local court regarding Sambhal Jama Masjid case which has claimed the lives of at least 5 people. Five people were killed in suspected police firing as they protested a survey of the Mughal era mosque. The survey led to violence and subsequent stone pelting resulting in the death of five Muslim men.
