UP mosques to postpone Juma namaz timings on Holi day
Lucknow/Sambhal/Bareilly (UP), Mar 7 (PTI): Ahead of Holi next Friday, imam of Lucknow Eidgah has asked the mosques to hold the Juma namaz at 2 pm that day. He also advised Muslims to offer prayers at a nearby mosque, instead of going to a distant one.
In Sambhal, it was decided that Hindus would play Holi till 2.30 pm on March 14, and Muslims would offer namaz after 2.30 pm, said a senior police official. Seven companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have also been deployed in the city ahead of the festival.
The new directive comes a day after a circle officer in Sambhal kicked up a row by commenting that those who feel uncomfortable with Holi colours should stay indoors, as the festival comes only once a year, whereas Juma namaz takes place 52 times in a year.
In an advisory issued on Thursday, Imam of Lucknow Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali said the mosques may postpone the Juma prayers, which is usually offered between 12.30 pm and 1 pm.
The advisory said, "This year, the second Juma of Ramzan is on March 14, which is also the day Holi will be celebrated. Hence, Muslims are advised not go to a distant mosque, but offer namaz at one in their locality."
Namaz at Jama Masjid Eidgah in Lucknow will be offered at 2 pm next Friday, instead of 12.45 pm, the imam added.
Sambhal superintendent of police Krishan Kumar on Friday told reporters that security has been tightened in view of Holi and the second Friday of Ramzan falling on the same day. Seven companies of PAC have been deployed in the city ahead of the festival.
He said complete peace prevails in the district and peace committee meetings are being organised at the mohalla level.
On the peace committee discussions, the SP said, "Talks were held with key people from both sides at the district level. It was decided that Hindus will play Holi till 2.30 pm and go back to their homes, and the Juma namaz will be held after 2.30 pm."
He said the Sambhal police is keeping a strict vigil on social media and people should keep themselves away from rumours.
Police outposts are being inspected, and an antenna has been installed at the Satyavrat police outpost. A district control room is being built on it, he said.
Sambhal District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya told reporters that the city has been divided into six zones and 29 sectors. Magistrates have been deployed in all sectors.
Asked if mosques will be covered with tarpaulin, he said, "There is no such plan from our side. If the parties decide on their own, they can cover them. Both the parties have said they will celebrate the festivals with great harmony, coordination and peace."
In Bareilly, the president of All India Muslim Jamaat, Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, appealed to imams to fix the Friday prayers at 2.30 pm on Holi.
The Juma namaz should be fixed at 2.30 pm in areas with a mixed population, while it need not be changed in localities with a predominantly Muslim population, he said, appealing to the imams and mutawallis of mosques to pay special attention to such things.
In a statement, Maulana Razvi advised Muslims not to come out on the streets for more than 3-4 hours. They should remain cautious if they have to go out for some important work.
He said the holy month of Ramzan should be spent with patience. "If a child or an ignorant person puts colour on you, there is no need to get into a fight. Go home and wash it off. Holi colours do not make your clothes impure," he said.
Sambhal Circle Officer Anuj Chaudhary had courted controversy when, during a peace committee meeting held at the Sambhal Kotwali police station on Thursday, he said those uncomfortable with Holi colours should remain indoors, as the festival comes once a year.
The comment attracted criticism from opposition parties, which demanded action against him. They said the remarks showed "bias" and did not befit a police officer.
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Bhojshala case: Disputed structure built from remains of pre-existing temples, claims ASI
Indore (PTI): The ASI has told the Madhya Pradesh High Court that a massive structure dating back to the Paramara kings' rule existed at the disputed Bhojshala temple-Kamal Maula mosque complex, and the current structure was built from the remains of temples.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made the claim on Tuesday based on its 98-day scientific survey and over 2,000-page report.
The Hindu community considers Bhojshala a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim side claims the monument as the Kamal Maula Mosque. The disputed complex is protected by the ASI.
During the hearing before Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi of the HC's Indore bench, Additional Solicitor General Sunil Kumar Jain, representing the ASI, presented a detailed account of the scientific survey conducted two years ago at the complex.
Referring to the ASI's survey report, he said, "Retrieved architectural remains, sculptural fragments, large slabs of inscriptions with literary texts, Nagakarnika inscriptions on pillars, etc, suggest that a large structure associated with literary and educational activities existed at the site. Based on scientific investigations and archaeological remains recovered during the investigations, this pre-existing structure can be dated to the Paramara period."
It can be said that the existing structure was made from the parts of earlier temples, based on scientific investigations, survey and archaeological excavations conducted, study and analysis of retrieved finds, study of architectural remains, sculptures, and inscriptions, art and sculptures, Jain said quoting the report.
Summarising the report, he also drew the court's attention to the fact that the archaeological study identifies that many architectural components, such as pillars and beams, were originally part of temple structures before being repurposed for a mosque.
"The evidence of this transition includes Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions that were damaged or hidden, alongside sculptures of deities and animals that were often mutilated or defaced," Jain contended.
The report also states that "all Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions are older than the Arabic and Persian inscriptions, indicating that users or engravers of the Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions occupied the place earlier".
In light of the Muslim side's earlier objections, the bench wanted to know why there were some discrepancies in the ASI's responses regarding the status of the disputed complex in the cases filed over the years.
The Additional Solicitor General argued that earlier studies of the complex involved only officials, while the current survey involved scientists and the use of advanced technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
The hearing in the Bhojshala case will continue on Wednesday.
The high court has been regularly hearing four petitions and one writ appeal regarding the religious nature of the Bhojshala temple-Kamal Maula mosque complex since April 6.
