The Allahabad High Court has allowed the mention of 'disputed structure' on the wall of Sambhal's Jama Masjid, following objections from the Muslim committee over the mosque's whitewashing. The court upheld the Hindu community's demand for the inscription.

"This is a legal process, when there is a case on a disputed structure, it cannot be called a mosque or anything else until the court gives a decision," Advocate Hari Shankar Jain said on the matter, as per a report by News18.

"Even the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid was referred to as a disputed structure for 70 years till the case was going on," he added.

ASI's Claims On Sambhal Jama Masjid

The High Court was hearing a plea from the mosque committee, which sought approval for whitewashing the Jama Masjid. The committee contested the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) stance that no whitewashing was necessary at this time.

Advocate Hari Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, disputed the committee’s claim of being responsible for the mosque’s upkeep under a 1927 agreement. He argued that the ASI held the responsibility instead.

During the proceedings, Jain requested the court to officially refer to the mosque as a “disputed structure.” The court accepted this request and directed the stenographer to use the term in official records, according to a report by LiveLaw.

In response, the ASI informed the court that it was facing pressure from the Muslim side to allow the painting of the mosque walls. During the hearing, the ASI also presented a cleanliness report of the mosque, as earlier directed by the court.

What Is the Dispute About?

The controversy stems from claims that the Shahi Jama Masjid was built after demolishing the ancient Harihar Temple, which is believed to have once stood at the same location. To investigate these claims, a court-mandated survey of the mosque premises was carried out on November 24 last year.