The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday agreed to refer to the Sambhal Jama Masjid as a "disputed site." The court also instructed the stenographer to use the term "disputed structure" for the Shahi Masjid, following a request from the Hindu side.
The High Court was hearing a petition filed by the mosque committee opposing an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report that stated there was no need for whitewashing at this time. Advocate Hari Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu petitioners, challenged the committee's claim that it was responsible for the mosque's maintenance under a 1927 agreement, arguing that the responsibility lies with the ASI.
The 16th-century monument's ownership became a legal matter after a complaint alleged that Babur demolished a Hindu temple, Harihar Mandir, to construct the mosque. A court-ordered survey in November last year led to large-scale violence in Sambhal, as a sizeable crowd opposed the move.
Advocate Jain argued that any structure involved in a legal dispute cannot be designated as a mosque or any other entity until a final court verdict is delivered. Citing precedent, he pointed out that the Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir site was referred to as a "disputed structure" for seven decades while the legal battle continued.
On February 28, the court directed the ASI to undertake the cleaning work of the masjid, including the removal of dust and vegetation inside and around the site.
In his affidavit, Jain claimed that the mosque committee had made substantial changes to the structure, painting the walls and pillars without ASI's permission to allegedly deface and hide Hindu signs and symbols. Jain, the key petitioner in the main plea, has argued that a Hindu temple once stood at the site where the mosque now exists.