Allahabad High Court to hear issue of Whitewashing and cleaning of Sambhal Jama Masjid on March 10
By Rajesh Pandey
On an application moved by the mosque management committee seeking permission for whitewashing and cleaning of Jama Masjid at Sambhal, the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday fixed March 10, 2025 for the next hearing.
On Tuesday, when matter was taken up counsel for Masjid committee in formed the court that he has filed his objection to the report of Archaeological Survey of India, on which the counsel for ASI sought time to reply the same.
Earlier on Friday high court had directed Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to clean the promises but did not passed order for whitewashing and painting.
The counsel for Masjid committee also said that in pursuance of earlier order of the court the cleaning work is going on under the supervision of ASI.
As the order for the day was being dictated by the court, the counsel for the respondent, Hari Shankar Jain, requested the bench to refer to the mosque as a “disputed structure.” The court acceded to his request and instructed his stenographer to use the term “disputed structure” for the mosque. However, in today’s order (dated March 4), the term ‘structure of disputed Maszid’ has been used by the court.
According to Hari Shankar Jain, this is a legal process, and when there is a case on a disputed structure, it cannot be called a mosque or anything else until the court gives a decision.
The advocate general Arun Kumar Misra submitted before the court that the law and order has been maintained in and around the structure of disputed Maszid by the state authorities.
The matter is now scheduled to be heard on March 10, when the ASI will respond to the objections raised by the Masjid committee regarding the ASI’s report, which denied any necessity for the whitewashing of the mosque.
On February, 28,2025 a report was submitted by Archaeological Survey of India to the effect that ” the inspection was conducted in presence of Mutwallies of the Masjid and it was found that the interior of the mosque was painted with thick layers of enamel paint of sharp colours like golden, red, green and yellow concealing the original surface of the monument.
According to the inspection taken, the modern enamel paint is still in good condition. The ASI report also enumerates that there seem to be some signs of deterioration at the entrance gate as well as in the chambers located behind and on the northern side of the prayer hall.
On which, SFA Naqvi, senior advocate, appearing for committee asked time to file counter and had also submitted that they only want for whitewashing and lightening. On which court asked ASI for clearing the dust and grasses in the premises.
The order was passed by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal on an application moved by the Sambhal mosque management committee seeking permission for whitewashing and cleaning of Jama Masjid at Shambhal.
Earlier, on February 27, the court had directed Artheological Survey of India to inspect the site of the Jama Masjid at Shambhal and to submit its report by Friday the 28th.
This Sambhal mosque gained attention when unrest occurred in the district on Nov 24, 2024, following a survey of this Mughal-era Jama Mosque by a team led by an advocate commissioner under local court orders.
The violence, where protesters opposing the survey of the Jama Masjid clashed with security personnel, resulted in the deaths of four persons. As per the media reports, the protesters torched vehicles and pelted the police with stones while the security personnel used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob.
Later, the Uttar Pradesh govt constituted a three-member judicial commission comprising retired Allahabad High Court judge Devendra Kumar Arora, retired IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad, and retired IPS officer Arvind Kumar Jain to enquire into the incident.
