Sambhal

From Babri to Sambhal

The row around the Shahi Jama Masjid, a 500-year-old mosque in Sambhal in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, shows a disturbing manifestation of a more significant trend in the Hindu-majority country, where Muslim places of worship are being targeted systematically.

By Ali Hassan Bangwar | January 2025


India, a nation renowned for its diversity and secularism, has a complex history marked by religious tensions, particularly between Hindus and Muslims. For decades, Hindu right-wing groups have asserted that numerous mosques and Islamic shrines were constructed on the ruins of Hindu temples, destroyed during the era of Muslim rule. A prime example of this contention is the Babri Masjid, a 16th-century mosque in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Hindu groups maintained that the mosque was built on the birthplace of the Hindu deity Ram. This belief fueled a decades-long campaign to reclaim the site, culminating in the demolition of the mosque by a Hindu mob in 1992. This act of violence ignited widespread communal riots across India, resulting in the tragic loss of over 2,000 lives.

In response to this tragic incident, the Indian government enacted the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which aimed to maintain the religious character of all places of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. This law was intended to prevent further disputes and maintain religious harmony. However, in recent years, India has witnessed a surge in religious extremism against Muslim minorities and their religious sites. Emboldened by their political influence, the right-wing- Hindu groups have intensified their efforts to claim ownership of numerous mosques and Islamic structures. These groups often allege that these religious sites were built atop the ruins of Hindu temples, a claim unsupported by substantial historical evidence. The recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, is a stark reminder of the growing threat to religious harmony in India.

The dispute over the Shahi Jama Masjid, a 500-year-old mosque, highlights the dangerous trend of using legal and extra-legal means to target Muslim places of worship. The row has sparked violence, communal tensions, and heated debates, drawing attention and raising concerns about preserving cultural heritage sites. The Shahi Jama Masjid, also known as the Royal Mosque, is a historic mosque in the heart of Sambhal city. Built during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Babur in the 16th century, the mosque is an exemplary example of Mughal architecture, featuring intricate stone carvings, ornate domes, and minarets. The mosque has been a sacred place of worship for the local Muslim community for centuries. Its historical significance and cultural importance have earned it a place on the list of protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

However, the controversy surrounding the Shahi Jama Masjid began in 2020 when a local Hindu group claimed that the mosque was built on top of a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. The group alleged that the mosque’s construction was a result of the destruction of the temple by Muslim invaders during the Mughal era. The claims sparked a heated debate, with some Hindu groups demanding that the mosque be demolished and the site be handed over to the Hindu community. Muslim groups, on the other hand, argued that the mosque was a historical monument and a sacred place of worship and that its destruction would be a blow to the community’s cultural heritage.

However, in recent years, some right-wing Hindu groups have claimed that the mosque was built on the ruins of the Harihar Temple, allegedly destroyed by Mughal Emperor Babur. These groups argue that a survey of the mosque premises could uncover the remains of the ancient temple.

On November 19, 2024, the local court in Sambhal ordered a mosque survey, which was promptly carried out by a team of experts from the Uttar Pradesh state authorities. However, when the team returned for a second visit on November 24 without notifying mosque authorities, local Muslims resisted, leading to violence and clashes with the police. Tragically, six Muslims were killed, and many others injured, allegedly due to police firing.

Supreme Court lawyer Balraj Singh Malik criticized the judge’s hasty decision to order the survey, citing the lack of due process and the sensitive nature of the issue. “The court should have given the respondents a chance to speak before passing an order,” Malik said. “Instead, an immediate order was issued, leading to the unfortunate loss of lives.”

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