Muslims seek permission for Sadbhavana Mela in Sambhal after Neja Mela disallowed

Sambhal: A couple of days after the Sambhal administration disallowed holding of 'Neja Mela', a village head in the district has sought permission from a senior official to organise a 'Sadbhavana Mela' (harmony fair) on 25 and 26 March.

The Sambhal authorities denied permission for the 'Neja Mela', traditionally a Muslim fair held in memory of invader Mahmud Ghaznavi’s nephew and military commander Syed Salar Masud Ghazi, saying it was not right to make a flag in the memory of someone who came to the country with the aim of looting.

The three-day Neja Mela was scheduled to be held from March 25.

The Sambhal district has been simmering with communal tension since the November 24 violence that erupted during a court-ordered survey at the Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area of the city.

The violence had left four civilians dead and several others, including security personnel, injured. The local court was hearing a petition which claimed the mosque stood at the site of a demolished temple.

The village head of Shahwajpur Sura Nagla, Margub Fatima, has now requested permission from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vandana Mishra to organise a 'Sadbhavana Mela' on March 25 and 26.

According to the SDM, the request has been forwarded to the police department for assessment.

"The application for the Sadbhavana Mela has been received and it has been sent to the police department for further inquiry," she told PTI.

Fatima said the fair is a long-standing tradition in their village.

"We have applied for permission to hold the Sadbhavana Mela on March 25. It was successfully organised under the same name in 2023 though it could not be held in 2024 due to certain reasons. The fair features swings and various stalls," she said.

Another local, Atiq Ahmed, confirmed that they had received permission for the fair in 2023 and were hoping for approval this year as well.

"If the administration grants permission, we will organise it. If not, we won't. The fair runs for two days, featuring amusement rides and shops," he told PTI.

Mohammad Zia-ul, who was part of the delegation that met the SDM, said the fair is an annual tradition of the Muslim community.

"Just as Hindus organise fairs after Holi, this is a Muslim fair under the name Sadbhavana Mela. We were assured by the SDM that our request is under consideration," he said.

The Neja Mela, traditionally held on the second Tuesday after Holi, is preceded by the symbolic pitching of a 30-ft pole with a green flag on top in the Mela ground on the first Tuesday. However, this year, the administration has categorically refused to allow the event.