ASI team inspected a Sambhal mosque. What prompted it?

Days after a masjid in Saharanpur was demolished after it was declared unauthorised, two more mosques in western Uttar Pradesh are facing scrutiny over their construction. Mustafa Masjid in Moradabad has been served a notice, while an inquiry by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is underway into Baba Bahauddin Shah Masjid in Sambhal.

This comes at a time when the legality of mosques and other religious structures has become a particularly sensitive issue in Uttar Pradesh in the run-up to next year's Assembly polls. While the Saharanpur mosque has already been demolished following a court-backed order, the cases in Sambhal and Moradabad are still at the stage of inquiry or seeking records, with no final action announced so far.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sambhal, Vikas Chandra said the inquiry followed a complaint filed by Subhash Chandra Tyagi, alleging that the mosque had been illegally constructed on land belonging to the Jama Masjid. He said the team’s findings were awaited and the mosque’s land records were being examined.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Tyagi, who claimed he was the National Convenor of Shri Kalki Sena, alleged that the plot in question is recorded in revenue records in the name of Jama Masjid. ASI Conservation Assistant Prashant Dogra told ANI that the team had visited the site following the complaint.

"Whatever findings the ASI submits, legal action will be taken accordingly… The team has inspected the specific structures and the site mentioned in the application." In Moradabad, the Moradabad Development Authority (MDA) has issued a notice to Mustafa Masjid in Pakbara seeking documents related to its construction.

The notice, issued last month, followed a complaint alleging that the mosque, built on 300 square metres of land, had been constructed without approved building plans. MDA vice-chairman Anubhav Singh could not be contacted for comment.

Mosque caretaker Zeeshan Fareed said the mosque was built by his late father, Fareed Zabbar, on his own private land around 35-40 years ago. He added that his lawyers were taking up the matter with the MDA, and declined to share anything further on the issue.

On Wednesday, Barq, the Samajwadi Party MP, strongly condemned the demolition of the Saharanpur mosque and said it was 119 years old and had documents relating to it. “I want to ask, since when have officials started playing the role of the judiciary?” Barq said, alleging that action was being taken hastily against religious sites following complaints.

The MP also criticised notices allegedly being issued in Sambhal and Moradabad, calling such action “completely wrong”. “I give a clear warning to the officials of Uttar Pradesh: work within the framework of the law. Otherwise, we will fight you legally and strongly in court wherever the battle takes place,” he said.

“We will not sit quietly until we get justice from the courts and those officials who are doing wrong are punished,” the SP MP added.