• At least four Muslim men were killed during protests against a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh.
• The BJP government are accused of using the survey to violate the 1991 Places of Worship Act and a stripping Muslims of their rights.
At least four Muslim men—Naeem, Bilal, and Noman—were killed on Sunday during clashes in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, as locals protested a court-mandated survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, according to local media reports. A fourth victim, a 19-year-old, later succumbed to his injuries.
“All schools and colleges have been closed, and public gatherings prohibited,” stated senior police officer Aunjaneya Kumar Singh. Authorities have restricted entry into the city, barring outsiders, social organisations, and public representatives without prior approval until November 30, in an effort to curb the unrest.
At least 25 individuals have been arrested, and police complaints have been filed against approximately 2,500 people, including local Member of Parliament Zia-ur-Rehman Barq of the Samajwadi Party (SP), said Sambhal police chief Krishan Kumar Bishnoi.
Barq, accused of inciting the violence, denied the allegations, asserting:
“It is so unfortunate; this is a preplanned incident. Across the country, Muslims are being targeted.”
The Mosque Survey
The court-approved survey was prompted by a petition filed by eight plaintiffs, led by Hindutva lawyer Hari Shankar Jain, claiming the 16th-century mosque was constructed atop a Hindu temple. Sunday’s survey—the second in five days—was met with fierce opposition from locals, who only expectedly, view it as an attempt to seize the mosque and exacerbate communal tensions.
Videos circulated on social media showed scenes of stone pelting, vehicles ablaze, and police using firearms on Sunday.
Echoes of the Babri Mosque Incident
The mosque in question, Shahi Jama Masjid is stands and 200-250 years old.
The incident has drawn parallels to the Babri Mosque incident in Ayodhya, which culminated in the mosque’s demolition by an extremist Hindu mob in 1992. That act led to nationwide riots ruthlessly killing nestling 2,000 Muslims.
Political Reactions and Accusations
Many have accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating the survey to deepen divisions between Hindus and Muslims.
Akhilesh Yadav, SP leader and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, criticised the state government, calling the violence “unfortunate.” The Congress Party demanded a judicial inquiry into the killings, with state Congress chief Ajay Rai attributing the violence to “politics of hatred” by the BJP.
Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the court’s decision, noting that the mosque was subjected to an “ex-parte order” without input from its caretakers.
Legal and Historical Context
Critics argue the survey violates the Protection of Places of Worship Act, 1991, which mandates that the religious character of places of worship as of August 15, 1947, must remain unchanged. fundamentalist Hindu nationalist groups, however, claim that numerous mosques in India were built over Hindu temples during the Mughal era, presenting no evidence for their assertions.
Experts note that extremist Hindu nationalist sentiment has grown under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with initiatives such as the temple built on the Babri Mosque’s ruins bolstering the BJP’s populist agenda. Observers warn this reflects an ongoing attempt to shift India from a complete Hindu state.
The Oppression of Muslims and Minorities
With Hindus comprising 80% of India’s population and Muslims accounting for approximately 200 million, Hindutva mobs have become emboldened in their oppression and targeting of Muslims and minorities— a trend that has intensified since Modi’s rise to power in 2014. This has been seen, not only within India but also globally, among diaspora communities as evidenced by the recent Leicester riots in the UK and the very recent targeting of the Sikh community in Canada.
