By Sanjay Pandey
Lucknow: Apparently staking claim over the disputed Jama Masjid in Sambhal, which the Hindu outfits claim was built after demolishing Hairhar Temple during the Mughal era, and similar other disputed structures, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that the Hindus should get what belonged to them.
‘’Jo hamara hai, who hame mil jana chahiye…..sach kadwa hota hai aur sach ko sweekar karne ka samarthya bhi hona chahiye’’ (we must get what’s ours….truth is always bitter and one should have the courage to accept the truth), Adityanath said while speaking in the Uttar Pradesh state assembly.
‘’There were 67 teerth (pilgrimage sites) and 19 koops (wells) in Sambhal, which were demolished … .we have managed to trace 54 pilgrimage sites and freed the wells from encroachment,’’ he said.
‘’We only want what’s ours, nothing more than that,’’ he added.
The chief minister’s remarks came at a time when the ownership dispute over the Sambhal Jama Masjid was pending in the court. A survey was also conducted there on the orders of the district court during which large-scale violence had broken out resulting in the death of four people.
The Hindu plaintiffs claimed that Harihar Temple was one of the most important religious places for the Hindus as the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, termed as ‘Kalki Avatar” would take place here.
They also claimed that one of the commanders of Mughal emperor Babar had demolished the temple and converted it into a mosque. The Muslim side rejected the claim saying that there was no evidence to support the contention that the Mosque was constructed after demolishing a temple.
This story was originally published in deccanherald.com. Read the full story here.
