UP CM Adityanath says any disputed structure should not be called mosque

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared on Friday that any contested structure should not be referred to as a mosque amid a string of temple-mosque disputes, with multiple lawsuits pending before various courts.

“Kisi bhi vivadit dhaanche ko masjid nahi bolna chahiye. Hum jis din masjid bolna bandh kar denge, uss din log jaana bhi bandh kar denge. Waise bhi yeh Islam ke sidhhanto ke khilaaf hai ki kisi ki bhi aastha ko thais pahuncha kar wahan masjid-numa dhaancha khada kar diya ho, aise sthaan par kisi prakaar ki hone waali ibaadat Khuda ko bhi manzoor nahi hoti hai. Islam me upasana ke liye structure ki zaroorat nahi hai, jab ki yeh Sanatan Dharma me hai,” he said.

(“Any disputed structure should not be called a mosque. The day we stop calling it a mosque, people will stop going there. Hurting anyone’s faith by constructing a mosque-like structure does not align with Islamic principles, worship at such sites is not acceptable to God too. Islam does not mandate the construction of a structure for worship, but Sanatan Dharma does.”)

In Mahakumbh Nagar, Prayagraj, Adityanath was giving a speech at an event organised by Aaj Tak. His comments coincide with the Supreme Court's order barring civil courts nationwide from registering new lawsuits contesting the ownership and title of any place of worship and from conducting surveys of contested places of worship pending further directives. The Supreme Court will also hear cases pertaining to the Places of Worship Act, Indian Express reported.

“Sanatanis go to temples for worship, (this is not so) for Islamic practices. Therefore, it is unnecessary and counter-productive to insist on calling any structure a mosque. This is a time to embrace the vision of a new India and move forward with progressive thinking. We must focus on building unity and harmony instead of clinging to disputes of the past,” he said.

Adityanath responded to allegations that the Maha Kumbh was being conducted on Waqf Board property by stating that the event has been taking place at the site in Prayagraj for thousands of years. “If someone now calls this land Waqf Board property, we must ask whether it belongs to the Waqf Board or land mafia,” he said, adding that such “malicious tendencies” need to be curbed.

“We will put an end to this,” he said, warning that those who come to the Maha Kumbh with the intention of “claiming the land” would face “denting-painting”. “Those who claim this land as theirs and seek to occupy it may face consequences, including corrective action,” he said.

Adityanath explained the latest amendments, which mandate that any property claimed by the Waqf Board undergo a comprehensive examination of land records going all the way back to 1363 Fasli.

“If the term ‘Waqf’ appears, we examine the original ownership and take steps to reclaim the land. Public-use properties, lands of holy places associated with Hindu faith, or government-owned land will not be allowed to fall into the hands of any so-called land mafia boards,” he asserted.

Adityanath drew attention to discrepancies in land ownership claims in relation to the Jama Masjid in Sambhal.

“There are assertions that more land than the entire Sambhal district belongs to the Waqf Board, which is absurd. In the Puranas… Sambhal was prophesied as the birthplace of Kalki, the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Everything in Sambhal today is rooted in Sanatan Dharma. Five thousand years ago, there was no Islam on this earth, so how could there be a mention of Jama Masjid in that era,” he said.

“The Ain-i-Akbari mentions that in 1526, the Jama Masjid structure was erected by demolishing a Shri Hari Vishnu temple. This mistake should be acknowledged, and the land should be voluntarily returned. This country will not function under the mindset of the Muslim League, but in alignment with the faith and cultural ethos of India,” he said.

“There is both scriptural evidence and evidence of faith regarding such matters. I believe the issue should not require judicial intervention. Instead, it would be more appropriate for the followers of Islam to voluntarily and respectfully acknowledge the truth and extend a gesture of reconciliation by saying, ‘This is yours’. Such mutual respect is the cornerstone of trust and harmony,” he said.