The managing committee of the Atala mosque in Jaunpur, UP, has recently filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court, contesting a local court’s order directing the registration of a lawsuit by the Swaraj Vahini Association.
The lawsuit asserts that the mosque, constructed in 1398, was originally a Hindu temple.
The mosque’s committee argued that the Swaraj Vahini Association, which is a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, does not qualify as a “juristic person” a legal entity allowed to initiate such legal proceedings.
The committee maintains that the mosque has consistently served as a religious place for Muslims and has never been under the control of any other religious group.
The petitioners from the Swaraj Vahini Association filed the original suit in May, seeking to declare the mosque as a Hindu temple and to grant followers of the Sanatan religion the right to worship at the site.
The Association claims that the Atala Devi temple was originally constructed by Raja Vijay Chandra in the 13th century, only to be demolished by Firuz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century, paving the way for the mosque’s construction. The suit also sought an injunction to prevent non-Hindus from entering the mosque premises.
On July 25, a court-appointed team arrived at the site to conduct a survey but was unable to proceed as the gates were closed. This case is part of a broader trend of similar legal disputes concerning religious sites in India.
Tensions flared on November 24 in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where violence erupted during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Chandausi. The survey was prompted by a petition claiming that the mosque, built in 1526 by Mughal emperor Babur, stood on the site of an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Kalki. The unrest during the survey led to the deaths of five people.
Additionally, on November 27, a Rajasthan court admitted a petition alleging that the shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer was built over the remains of a Shiva temple.
These developments highlight the growing number of disputes surrounding religious sites in India, with various communities contesting the history and ownership of such places.
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