Sambhal: More than 30 years after the Babri Masjid demolition, another mosque in Uttar Pradesh, the Jama Masjid in Moradabad’s Sambhal, is at the centre of a contentious debate. A court-ordered survey of the 16th-century mosque led to violent protests, multiple deaths and arrests, which brought the city to a halt.
The Jama Masjid, built between 1526 and 1530 during the reign of Mughal emperor Babur, is one of three major mosques constructed under his rule, alongside the mosque in Panipat and the now-demolished Babri Masjid. The mosque’s construction, supervised by Hindu Beg Qucin, a trusted lieutenant of Babur, features Persian inscriptions and a Mughal architectural style. Some historians argue that remnants of a Hindu temple were incorporated into its structure.
Sambhal holds religious importance for Hindus as the purported birthplace of Kalki, the final avatar of Vishnu. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for Kalki Dham in the region, which reinforced its importance.
Mosque built over Hindu temple, claims petition
The controversy began when advocate Vishnu Shanker Jain, known for his involvement in the Gyanvapi and Krishna Janmabhoomi disputes, filed a petition claiming the mosque was built over a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Kalki. The petition alleges Babur destroyed the temple and converted it into a mosque to assert Islamic dominance. The petitioners also criticised the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for not taking control of the site, which is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
4 dead, 30 injured in violence
On November 19, 2024, the court ordered a survey, which sparked opposition from the Muslim community and Jama Masjid management, who cited the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which maintains the status of religious sites as they existed in 1947.
On November 24, protests erupted and they turned violent with stone-throwing, vehicle fires and clashes with police. Four people died and more than 30 police officers were injured. Internet services were suspended, and the police vowed to take strict legal action. Critics argue that such cases undermine the Places of Worship Act, designed to preserve religious harmony post-Independence.
