Hindu Sena national president Vishnu Gupta has formally written to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), urging an investigation into the historical origins of Jama Masjid in Delhi.
He claims that the mosque was built on the remains of temples from Jodhpur and Udaipur, allegedly destroyed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
According to Gupta, idols of Hindu deities were reportedly used in the mosque’s construction, with some buried under its stairs to demean Hindu religious sentiments.
In his letter, he called on the ASI to conduct a detailed survey of the site to uncover the “truth” about its construction.
He argued that historical records suggest Aurangzeb deliberately sought to humiliate Hindus by destroying their temples and incorporating their remains into mosques.
Gupta also emphasized the importance of preserving any temple remnants discovered during the survey, insisting that the findings be made public to provide a transparent account of the mosque’s history.
The ASI has not yet responded to the request.
This appeal comes amid ongoing controversies surrounding several religious sites in India where temples are claimed to have been replaced by mosques.
Prominent cases include the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and Mathura’s Shahi Idgah Mosque, both of which are alleged to have been constructed over demolished Hindu temples.
These disputes have reignited debates about the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which aims to maintain communal harmony by preserving the religious character of all places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947.
The Act prohibits the conversion of any such sites, but it has faced legal challenges in cases involving contentious historical claims.
The controversy surrounding Jama Masjid echoes the infamous Babri Masjid dispute. In 1992, the mosque was demolished by Hindu activists who claimed it was built on the birthplace of Lord Ram.
The case culminated in a landmark Supreme Court verdict in 2019, awarding the disputed land to Hindus for temple construction while acknowledging the illegality of the demolition.
The Supreme Court ruling has since fueled concerns about a rise in similar disputes, with calls to re-examine the history of other significant religious sites across the country.
As these debates continue, the issue of Jama Masjid’s origins adds another layer to the ongoing discourse on India’s historical and cultural heritage.
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