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Synopsis

The Allahabad High Court today directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to clean the premises of Jami Masjid in Sambhal's Kot Purvi locality, instructing the removal of dust and grass. However, the court did not order the building's whitewashing.

On Thursday, the court had ordered the ASI to conduct an immediate inspection of the premises and submit its report by 10:00 AM today. The ASI's report stated that the mosque's interior is coated with ceramic paint, making whitewashing unnecessary for now.

However, Senior Advocate SFA Naqvi, representing the mosque committee, argued that they only sought whitewashing and lighting work. But the bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal directed the ASI to remove dust and clear the grass from the premises.

Court passed the order while hearing an urgent plea from the mosque’s management committee, which sought permission for maintenance, cleaning, whitewashing, and lighting work ahead of Ramzan.

Notably, the site is contested as both a mosque and a temple, with Hindu plaintiffs pursuing a civil suit to assert their right to access what they call the Shri Hari Har Temple, currently identified as Jami Masjid.

On Thursday, ASI's counsel, Advocate Manoj Kumar Singh, had stated that ASI officials were denied access to the mosque, making it impossible to determine the necessity of whitewashing. He had submitted that if permitted by the court, ASI officers would inspect the site and report back on whether whitewashing and lighting work should be allowed. If required, ASI would undertake the work, with costs borne by the mosque committee, he had said.

The mosque committee's plea was opposed by Advocate Hari Shanker Jain as well who had argued that under the guise of maintenance, the mosque committee could erase artefacts and symbols indicating the site's Hindu origins. He had urged the court to reject the application, asserting that ASI was solely responsible for the site's upkeep and had already lost control over it.

Case Title: Committee Of Management, Jami Masjid Sambhal Ahmed Marg Kot Sambhal Vs. Hari Shankar Jain And 12 Others