HC directs ASI to whitewash parts of Sambhal mosque within one week

The Allahabad high court on Wednesday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out within one week whitewashing in all those parts of the Sambhal mosque where flaking is seen.

“Further, no extra lighting shall be put on the walls, as it may cause damage to the monuments, but exterior lights in the shape of focus lights/LED lights may be used by the ASI for lighting the outer area of the alleged Masjid. The expenditure incurred in the whitewashing shall be borne by the Masjid Committee, and the same shall be reimbursed within one week after the completion of whitewashing work,” the court added.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal passed the order while disposing of the application filed by the mosque committee of the Sambhal Jama Masjid. The committee had filed the application last month, seeking permission to whitewash and clean the mosque before Ramzan. At the previous hearing, ASI was directed to file a reply, especially to annexures filed by the Masjid Committee, wherein photographs of the exterior part of the disputed monuments were shown, which requires whitewashing.

After going through the ASI affidavit filed on Wednesday, the court observed, “No reply to the said facts has been given in the present affidavit filed today.”“This court finds that no suitable reply has been given by the ASI for denying to proceed for whitewashing of exterior part of the alleged Masjid during the holy month of Ramzan. This Court directs the ASI to carry out the whitewashing work in all those parts of the monuments, in which, flaking is seen and whitewashing is required,” the court added.

The Sambhal mosque was in the news when violence occurred in the district on November 24, 2024, following the second round of a survey of this Mughal-era Jama Mosque by a team led by an advocate commissioner under local court orders.