Sambhal Court To Hear 'Harihar Temple' Plea Against Shahi Jama Masjid On 5 March, Muslim Side Refers To Supreme Court Stay

The upcoming hearing date for a case concerning the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid and its survey has been set for 5 March by a local court in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh.

Since this hearing comes after the Supreme Court stayed all trial court proceedings related to the Places of Worship Act 1991, the Muslim side is set to challenge the hearing.

Shakil Ahmad Wari, the attorney for the Jama Masjid, informed the press that they have submitted a duplicate of the Supreme Court's directive that instructs all subordinate courts to refrain from accepting new cases that request surveys of any worship location until further notice.

"The Supreme Court has directed all the lower courts not to entertain new suits seeking surveys of any place of worship until further orders. We have filed a copy of the said order in the court, which fixed 5 March as the next date of hearing," Wari was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Wari stated that the claim from the Hindu faction, asserting that the mosque was constructed on the site of an ancient Harihar temple, would be determined by the court. He added, "We will prove in the court that it was not a Harihar temple but the Jama Masjid. We have all the evidence."

Gopal Sharma, who is the legal representative for the Hindu party, has verified that the court is scheduled to listen to the case on 5 March.

“We filed an application with the court demanding their opportunity to reply should now end. Now the matter will be heard on 5 March,” he said.

On 19 November, a survey was carried out at the Shahi Jama Masjid in response to a court order. The order was issued based on a petition put forth by Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who asserted that a temple was previously located on the same site.

On 24 November, a violent incident occurred during a subsequent survey of the mosque. The confrontation between protesters and police resulted in five fatalities and several injuries. Police reports indicate that 29 of their officers were also injured during the clash.

Following the outbreak of violence, the Supreme Court issued a directive on 29 November, instructing the Sambhal trial court to refrain from making any decisions concerning the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.