Does Sambhal mosque need whitewash and lighting? HC seeks ASI affidavit in 24 hours

The single-judge bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal also directed state Advocate General Ajay Kumar Mishra to submit a copy of the agreement purportedly executed between the mosque caretakers and the then state government on January 19, 1927, by Wednesday.

The court issued the order while hearing the objections against the ASI survey report by the Shahi Jama Masjid management committee which had sought permission for whitewashing, additional lighting and installation of decorative lights outside the disputed structure.

In his objection to the ASI inspection report, SFA Naqvi, the mosque management committee counsel, argued that the counter-affidavit filed by the agency does not object to their request for whitewashing, extra lighting and installation of decorative lights outside the structure.

The committee’s only prayer in the application was for whitewashing of the exterior of the disputed site and extra lighting and installation of decorative lights and no painting in the inner part of the structure, Naqvi further said.

According to the court order, ASI counsel Manoj Kumar Singh submitted that though some flaking was seen on the outer portion of the monument and the final call can only be taken after a proper survey by archaeologists with the help of the Conservation and Science Wing, there was no need for any whitewashing.

The court said it felt that a reply had not been given by the ASI to the objections filed to its report in its counter-affidavit. “Let a specific reply to paragraphs 7 of the objections by the revisionist be filed as to whether any whitewashing, extra lighting and installation of decorative lights is required outside the disputed structure or not. The said affidavit shall be filed within 24 hours,” the order read.