Hindu extremists go to court claiming mosque was built on ancient temple site
NEW DELHI (AA) – A local court in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh will hear a petition filed by right-wing Hindu organizations, claiming that the existing Jamia Masjid Shamsi in Badaun city was built after demolishing a Hindu temple.
Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, a local Hindu organization, along with some local residents filed the petition last month, claiming the mosque was built after razing the temple of Lord Neelkanth Mahadev.
The Badaun court fixed September 15 for hearing and issued notices to the mosque management, Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board, the state government and the union government.
The lawyer for Jamia Masjid, Asrar Ahmad Siddiqui, said: “There is no proof available that it was a temple and the mosque was built after destroying it.”
Siddiqui also claimed that the mosque was built by Sultan Iltutmish, the ruler of Delhi, in 1222.
Muslims in India are concerned by the campaign by Hindu right-wing groups claiming Muslim monuments and mosques and calling for their demolition.
Hindu groups in various Indian cities have claimed that mosques and monuments built during the Mughal era were built after razing Hindu temples, and therefore need to be demolished to make way for temples.
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