Hearing on Sambhal Jama Masjid dispute in Supreme Court today
There will be a hearing in the Supreme Court today against the inspection order issued by the civil judge at Sambhal’s Jama Masjid. A two-member bench headed by CJI Sanjeev Khanna will hear the matter. In this petition, the committee maintaining Shahi Jama Masjid has demanded a stay of the civil judge’s unilateral order of November 19.
The committee has said in the petition that a petition claiming that the mosque was the Harihar temple was filed before the Sambhal court on November 19. On the same day, the civil judge of the Superior Chamber heard the case and, without listening to the Mosque Committee, appointed Attorney Commissioner of the Inspection. The Ombudsman Commissioner arrived for the survey on the afternoon of the 19th and the survey was conducted again on the 24th.
The whole process happened quickly, suspicions spread among the people.
The petition says that due to the speed with which the entire process unfolded, suspicion spread among people and they left their homes. After the crowd became angry, police fired shots, killing five people. The petition further said that the Shahi mosque has been there since the 16th century. The order to inspect such an ancient religious building is against the Law on Places of Worship and the Law on Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites. Even if this survey was necessary, it should not have been done in a single day without listening to the other side.
The petition asks the Supreme Court to stay the lower court’s order and proceedings. The survey report should be kept in a sealed envelope for the time being. The petition demands that the Supreme Court also order that in these types of religious disputes an inquiry should not be ordered without hearing the other side. The petition filed before the Supreme Court has said that such orders are likely to incite communal sentiments, cause law and order problems and damage the secular fabric of the country.
The mosque study report will be presented today
The first hearing will be held today in the High Division court of Civil Judge Chandausi, Sambhal in the case of claiming that Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal is the Harihar temple. The survey report is likely to be presented before the court on the same day. The police administration has taken strict security measures in this regard. Friday prayers will also be offered there. The district administration is on high alert in this regard. On November 19, in the court of Senior Civil Judge, Chandausi, Sambhal, eight litigants, including Mahant Rishiraj Giri of Kaila Devi Temple, Harishankar Jain, filed a complaint against six persons in connection with Shahi Jama Masjid of Sambhal It was the Harihar Temple.
The court appointed court commissioner Ramesh Singh Raghav on the same day and ordered a survey (commission) to be held and the next date of hearing was fixed for November 29. The Court Commissioner had contacted Shahi Jama Masjid that same night with his team to conduct the survey. After this, last Sunday morning, when DM and SP arrived again to conduct the survey under protection, a riot ensued in Sambhal in which five people lost their lives.
