New Delhi [India], January 10: The Supreme Court has issued a notice on the ongoing dispute over a well located outside the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal. The Sambhal Mosque Committee had approached the Court, seeking to maintain the status quo of the well and prevent any actions regarding its investigation.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the committee, explained that the well, situated outside the mosque, has been a site for ritual practices for years, but these rituals have recently been stopped. He further stated that the well is outside the mosque’s purview and requested that the status quo be preserved.
The Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report on the matter before the next hearing, scheduled for February 21. Private respondents have also been asked to file their counter-affidavit.
On Thursday, the Shahi Jama Masjid’s management committee moved the Supreme Court, seeking directions to the District Magistrate to ensure no action is taken regarding the well without the Court’s approval. The committee raised concerns over a drive by the District Administration aimed at reviving old temples and wells in Sambhal, with reports indicating that at least 32 temples and 19 wells are being reinstated for public use.
The committee has also pointed out that publicity material has been put up, falsely identifying the mosque as a temple and suggesting that the well has religious significance for public prayers.