Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain revealed on Friday that the Sambhal Mosque Committee had approached the Supreme Court, seeking to preserve the status quo of a well located outside the Shahi Jama Masjid.
He explained, “Today, the Sambhal Mosque Committee requested the Supreme Court to ensure that the status quo of the well, situated outside the so-called mosque, is maintained. We argued that the well is outside the mosque’s domain, and rituals at the well have been conducted for generations.
However, these puja rituals have recently been halted.”
Jain further shared that the Supreme Court has issued a notice in response to the matter and instructed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report by the next hearing, scheduled for February 21. Additionally, the Court directed private respondents to submit their counter affidavits.
On Thursday, the Committee of Management, Shahi Jama Masjid, Sambhal, filed a petition with the Supreme Court, requesting a directive to the District Magistrate (DM) to maintain the status quo regarding the well situated near the mosque’s entrance.
The committee sought the Court’s intervention to prevent any actions related to the investigation or reopening of the well, particularly without prior court approval.
The petition highlighted concerns over the District Administration’s initiative to revive old temples and wells in Sambhal. Reports indicated that at least 32 unused temples and 19 wells were being restored for public use and prayers. The committee argued that this revival campaign included claims that the well near the mosque held religious significance.
In its application, the mosque committee emphasized that the District Administration was promoting the idea of public access to the well, calling it a religious site. Posters were reportedly put up around Sambhal, indicating the locations of these historical wells, with some even labeling the mosque as a former temple.
This legal development comes amid a broader debate over the preservation of religious sites and their historical contexts. The Supreme Court’s intervention now sets the stage for further examination of the matter, with the next hearing slated for next month.
