Muslim concerns rise after Allahabad High Court allows a re-survey of the 17th-century mosque despite November violence and community opposition
SAMBHAL – A Chandausi court in Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh has set July 21 to hear a plea seeking a ban on the offering of namaz at the Shahi Jama Masjid, which is claimed to be Harihar Temple.
The petition sought a ban on Islamic prayers, citing the mosque’s “disputed status”.
Civil Judge (Senior Division) Aditya Singh on Thursday took on record the plea filed by one Simran Gupta.
Meanwhile, tensions are running high in the district after the Allahabad High Court rejected a petition filed by the Shahi Jama Masjid Committee, clearing the path for another survey of the 17th-century mosque.
The court decision is seen by many Muslims as a serious blow to communal harmony and justice, with the community feeling increasingly targeted through the misuse of court proceedings and false historical claims.
The historic mosque has long served as a centre of prayer and religious education for Muslims in the region. However, in recent years, the mosque has become the focus of aggressive claims by right-wing Hindu organisations, who assert—without credible evidence—that it was once a Hindu temple named Harihar Mandir.
These claims, first made on social media and later picked up by fringe groups, were used as the basis for a local court to order a survey of the mosque premises in 2024. That survey, conducted on 24 November, ended in chaos, violence, and deaths.
As survey teams arrived at the mosque last year with a police escort, local Muslims gathered in peaceful protest, stating their concerns over the legitimacy of the claims. However, tensions escalated when a large crowd of outsiders—many believed to be supporters of Hindutva groups—also arrived.
What followed was a horrific day of violence.
Five Muslims lost their lives. Several policemen were injured, and the area was thrown into turmoil.
“I saw people running, screaming. There was stone pelting from both sides, but it was clear who had come prepared,” said Mohammed Ashraf, a 56-year-old local shopkeeper. “We are being punished for protecting our own mosque. This is not justice. This is cruelty.”
Following the violence, the police arrested 96 individuals, most of them Muslims. An FIR was registered against 2,750 unidentified persons, further deepening fears that the Muslim community was being unfairly targeted.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe the incident. Its a 1,100-page charge sheet named 22 individuals, including Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq as the alleged mastermind behind the violence.
However, many within the Muslim community question the impartiality of the investigation, pointing out that while Barq was charged, a prominent Hindu figure accused by eyewitnesses was conveniently left out of the charge sheet.
“Why are Muslim leaders always the ones blamed? Why is our side never heard?” asked Razia Sultana, a local schoolteacher. “The facts don’t matter anymore. Only our names and our religion do.”
Barq denies all allegations. “I have always appealed for peace. But now, speaking for the rights of Muslims makes you a criminal. Is this the new India?” he asked in a statement released through his lawyer.
The Masjid Committee had approached the Allahabad High Court, asking for the survey to be halted, especially in light of the tragic consequences from the previous attempt. But the court rejected their plea in a decision released this week, stating that the survey order issued by the Chandausi court was valid.
For many Muslims, this decision reflects a growing pattern of judicial neglect toward their concerns.
Advocate Shariq Mahmood, representing the mosque, said: “We provided all records, including government documentation showing this structure has been a mosque for centuries. Yet the court dismissed our petition, as if our history and pain mean nothing.”
This is not an isolated case. Over the past few years, several historical places of worship—including Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and Idgah Mosque in Mathura—have been dragged into disputes by Hindu organisations claiming they were built over temples.
Critics argue these efforts are politically motivated attempts to erase Muslim history in India and create tension.
“There is a deliberate effort to create enmity where none existed,” said Prof Nasiruddin, a historian from Aligarh Muslim University. “Most of these sites have coexisted peacefully for decades, even centuries. But now, lies are being turned into legal actions.”
In the wake of the violence, the police and district administration have claimed to be maintaining order. But many local Muslims allege that the crackdown has been one-sided, with hundreds of young Muslim men picked up without cause.
“Police barged into homes at night. They didn’t ask questions. They just took our sons,” said Shabnam Begum, whose 19-year-old son has been in jail since December. “We are poor people. We cannot afford lawyers. Who will help us?”
Even those who tried to speak up have been threatened.
An NGO worker from Lucknow, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “We tried to provide legal aid, but the local authorities warned us not to get involved. The message is clear: don’t help Muslims.”
The basis of the Hindu claim rests largely on a few unverifiable sources and local folklore. No archaeological report or historical record has ever confirmed such a claim.
However, this has not stopped local Hindu leaders from pushing for a survey. “We will reclaim every inch of our temple land,” declared Mahant Harinarayan Giri, one of the main petitioners, in a recent rally. “We will not rest until the truth is established.”
But Muslim leaders point out that this so-called “truth” is built on lies and hatred.
“Why are these people going after mosques? They are not here to find history. They want to humiliate Muslims,” said Maulana Imran Siddiqui, imam of a nearby mosque. “The law should protect the innocent, not reward the violent.”
The situation remains tense. The district administration has increased security around the mosque and is preparing for the next round of survey work.
Senior officials have stated that the process will be “fair and peaceful,” but many in the Muslim community remain unconvinced.
“How can it be peaceful when our people are still in jail and our pleas are ignored?” asked Advocate Mahmood.
The Masjid Committee is now exploring the possibility of approaching the Supreme Court. “We still have faith in the Constitution,” said Committee president Qari Ishaq. “But that faith is being tested every day.”
