03-07-2025
Court to hear plea seeking ban on namaz at Sambhal mosque on July 21
A Chandausi court in Sambhal district has decided to hear a petition seeking a ban on offering namaz at the Shahi Jama Masjid until its religious status is legally determined. The petitioner contended that no religious practices, whether namaz or puja, should be permitted at the site until its historical and religious character is conclusively established. (HT File)
The petition was filed by Simran Gupta, national president of the Hindu Shakti Dal. Civil judge (senior division) Aditya Singh admitted the plea on Thursday and scheduled the next hearing for July 21.
The petitioner argued that allowing religious activities such as namaz at a site already declared 'disputed' by the court could hinder an impartial investigation. The plea sought the sealing of the Shahi Jama Masjid and the transfer of its custody to the district magistrate for neutral oversight until the court delivers a final verdict on the site's religious identity.
Gupta contended that no religious practices, whether namaz or puja, should be permitted at the site until its historical and religious character is conclusively established. She further claimed that allowing only one religious group to continue worship might create perceptions of bias and risk communal tension. Advocate Babulal Saxena is representing her in court.
The origin of the dispute dates back to November 19, 2023, when eight Hindu petitioners claimed the Shahi Jama Masjid stood on the site of an ancient Shri Harihar Temple. Responding to the petition, the court ordered a survey of the mosque premises on the same day, followed by a second survey on November 24.
The second survey led to violent clashes, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries to 29 police personnel. In the aftermath, police launched a wide-scale crackdown and filed FIRs against 2,750 people, including Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rehman Barq and mosque committee chairman Zafar Ali.
So far, 96 individuals have been jailed in connection with the violence. The matter also reached the Allahabad High Court, which allowed proceedings in the lower court to continue.
