After Bhojshala, dispute flares up over Kasmandi Mosque in Lucknow as Pasi community claims it was once a temple

Lucknow: A dispute has flared up over ‘Kasmandi Mosque’ at Malihabad near Lucknow after members of the Pasi community (an OBC community) and saffron outfits claimed that it was an ‘old fort’ built by Maharaja Kans and that a Shiv Temple existed inside it.

Community leader Suraj Paswan has written a letter to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath seeking a ban on offering of ‘namaz’ at the Mosque and demanding that its possession to be handed over to the community.

The Pasi community relied on what it claimed the report of the English gazetteers and local historical accounts, which stated that the name ‘Kasmandi’ was associated with Raja Kans, described as a ‘Rajpasi’ ruler during the 11th century whose influence spanned Malihabad and the surrounding region.

According to the gazetteer, when Salar Masud Ghazi advanced into the Awadh region from the direction of Delhi, Raja Kans had fought him. The Kasmandi and Kakori regions were regarded as the primary centers of the conflict between Salar Masud and the local kings.

Paswan said that the Fort was later captured by the Muslims and the Shiv Temple was converted into a mosque. He also warned of an agitation on the lines of Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura to ‘free’ the fort and the Temple.

Hindu Mahasabha leader Shishir Chaturvedi also demanded a ban on the ‘namaz’ at Kasmandi Mosque.

Muslim cleric Maulana Sufiyan, however, rejected the claims and said that the buildings were mentioned as mosque and tomb in the government records. ‘’It has become a trend to claim that every mosque is a temple’ he said, citing the example of Sambhal and Bhojshala.

As tension flared up, security personnel in strength were deployed around the mosque and ‘namaz’ was offered there under police protection.