Allahabad HC Orders ASI Inspection Of Sambhal Mosque To Assess Need For Whitewashing Ahead Of 'Ramzan', Seeks Report By Tomorrow

Today, the Allahabad High Court directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to inspect the Sambhal's Shahi Jama Mosque to assess the need for whitewashing and decorative arrangements (at the site) ahead of the Ramzan month. The Court also instructed the ASI to submit a report in this regard by 10 AM tomorrow.

A bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal passed this order on an application filed by the Management Committee of the Shahi Jama Masjid, Sambhal, challenging the respondents' objections regarding the mosque's preparatory work.

The Court has asked a 3-member team [Joint Director General, Director (Monument) and Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Meerut Circle] along with Mutawalis of the Masjid during the course of the day. As stated earlier, the report has to be filed by ASI by 10 AM tomorrow

"To balance the equity between the parties, it is necessary that during the holy month of Ramzan, the revisionist and members belonging to his community may perform their religious activity without any hindrance," the operative part of the Court's order reads.

The 8-page order of the High Court directs the ASI to state in its report about the requirement of whitewashing and maintenance/repair inside the premises. The bench has also mandated for the videography for the proposed work.

After the dictation of the order, the counsel for the ASI pressed the court to mention that security may be provided to members of the ASI team. The court, however, dismissed the request, stating that it was unnecessary.

The order was passed after the Court considered the arguments advanced by the State Government, the Counsel for the ASI and the Counsel for the Management committee, and after taking into account the urgency of the matter, with Ramzan beginning on March 1.

Before the Court, Senior Counsel SFA Naqvi, representing the Management Committee, argued that the ASI was unnecessarily objecting to the whitewashing work despite the fact that it was the ASI's responsibility to carry out such work. In response, the ASI's counsel, Advocate Manoj Kumar Singh, stated that ASI officials were not being allowed access to the mosque premises by the committee officials.

The Committee's application was opposed by Advocate Har Shankar Jain (respondent no. 1) as he submitted that in the garb of whitewashing, the Hindu artefacts allegedly present inside the Mosque would be defaced. To this, the bench assured him it would take care of his concern.

For context, the Management Committee of the Shahi Jama Masjid, Sambhal, moved the High Court following a response from the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) North Sambhal objecting to its proposal for maintenance work planned for the mosque ahead of the upcoming Ramzan.

Case title - Committee Of Management, Jami Masjid Sambhal Ahmed Marg Kot Sambhal vs. Hari Shankar Jain And 12 Others

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