Supreme Court Stays Sambhal Mosque Survey, Advocates Peace
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today directed the Shahi Idgah Masjid management committee in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, to challenge the trial court’s order mandating a survey of the mosque in the Allahabad High Court. Hindu petitioners had claimed that the mosque was built over a temple. The apex court emphasized the need for peace and harmony, staying further actions by the trial court until the High Court examines the matter.
“Peace and harmony must be ensured. We do not want anything untoward to happen. The court has to remain neutral,” stated Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna.
The Supreme Court directed the Allahabad High Court to hear the mosque committee’s plea within three working days of its filing. It also instructed that the trial court proceedings scheduled for January 8 remain on hold until the High Court’s decision.
Violent Clashes Erupt in Sambhal
The court-mandated survey sparked violent clashes in Sambhal earlier this week, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries to over 30 police personnel. The violence began when a large crowd gathered near the mosque to prevent the survey team, led by an Advocate Commissioner, from proceeding.
Stones were thrown at police, and more than ten vehicles were set ablaze. Law enforcement responded with tear gas to disperse the mob.
Following the violence, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member judicial inquiry commission to investigate the incident. The commission has two months to submit its findings.
Security measures in Sambhal were tightened ahead of Friday prayers and the scheduled submission of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report to the trial court.
Political Reactions and Demands
Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Zia Ur Rahman Barq, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it essential for restoring communal harmony. Barq, who is among 400 individuals charged over the violence, announced plans to petition the Supreme Court for an inquiry into the incident led by a sitting judge.
Historical Dispute at the Core
The controversy began when advocate Vishnu Shanker Jain and others filed a petition alleging that the Shahi Idgah Masjid was constructed over a temple dedicated to Lord Kalki during Babur’s invasion in 1526-27. The petition cites texts such as the Baburnamah and Ain-e-Akbari as evidence.
The petition claims that the temple, built by the mythical figure Vishwakarma, was partially destroyed and converted into a mosque to assert Islamic dominance. It further accuses the ASI of failing to protect the site under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
Petitioners demanded unrestricted access to the mosque, asserting their right to worship at the site. In response, the court ordered the survey on November 19, 2024, which was conducted the same day. Critics, including the Muslim community, decried the survey as judicial overreach, citing the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which preserves the status of religious sites as they existed on August 15, 1947.
The case has now become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over religious harmony and historical preservation in India.
