Muslims challenge lower court’s ruling on Historic Atala Mosque
The administration of the historic Atala Mosque in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, has filed an appeal against the district court’s ruling, which claims that the mosque was built on the site of the ancient Atla Devi Temple.
The Atala Mosque administration has petitioned the Allahabad High Court, stating that the land has always been used as a mosque and was never under the control of any other religion.
The dispute came to a head earlier this year when the Swaraj Wahini Association filed a lawsuit in the Jaunpur District Court, asserting that the mosque was constructed on land that previously housed a Hindu temple.
In response, the mosque administration’s petition states that the plaintiffs have no legal standing to file the case. The petition further asserts that the Atala Mosque was built in 1398 and has served as a place of worship for the Muslim community ever since, including regular Friday prayers.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for December 9, 2024, at the Allahabad High Court, where the court is expected to determine how the dispute should be resolved.
Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly condemned the recent claims against Muslim religious sites. In a social media post, Owaisi stated, “No country can become a great power if 14% of its population continues to face such pressures.” He said that the Modi-led Indian government is behind these disputes and called for the protection of the Places of Worship Act, which prohibits altering the religious character of places of worship as they stood on August 15, 1947.
