Security personnel stand guard near the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: The judicial commission formed to investigate last year’s violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal town during a court mandated survey of a mosque in which four persons were killed and several others injured, submitted its report to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday.
Although the content of the 450-page report was not made public, according to the sources, the report contained details of history of communal riots in the town, change in its demography after independence and evidence of existence of a Hindu temple in the foundation of the mosque.
The report of the three-member Commission would be placed before the state cabinet and after its approval it would be tabled in the Assembly.
The report, according to the sources, says that the Hindu population in Sambhal declined from 45 per cent in 1947 to just 15 per cent at present, while the Muslim population increased from 55 per cent to 85 per cent during the same period.
It has reportedly also explained the reasons behind this demographic change and the reasons behind recurring communal riots. The report apparently also said that this demographic change was caused by the 'politics of appeasement, planned communal riots and prevalence of an atmosphere of fear.'
It also said that the Hindu community had bore the brunt of communal riots.
The report says that the information about the proposed survey of the mosque in Sambhal was leaked, possibly from the Jama Masjid, and as a result a crowd had assembled there when the survey team reached there.
Sources said that the report had mentioned evidence dating back to the Mughal emperor Babar’s rule and there was evidence of a temple beneath the foundation of the mosque.
The report said that Sambhal had become the den of many terrorist organisations and that foreign made weapons had been used in the communal riots.
The Hindus claim that the Jama Masjid was built after demolishing Harihar Temple, which was one of the most religious places for them as the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, termed ‘Kalki Avtar’ would take place there.
The Muslim side rejects the claim saying that there is no evidence to support the contention that the Mosque was constructed after demolishing a temple.