Whitewashing of the exterior walls of the historical Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal has commenced. This work is being undertaken following directives from the Allahabad High Court, which ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complete the whitewashing within a week.
Sambhal: The whitewashing of the exterior walls of the Shahi Jama Masjid began on Sunday morning. Shakil Warsi, the lawyer representing the mosque in the Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar Mandir case, stated that the whitewashing work has started. The Allahabad High Court, on March 12, directed the ASI to complete the whitewashing within a week, and this work is being carried out in compliance with that order.
Painting and Whitewashing Under Court Order
On March 12, the High Court ordered the whitewashing of the mosque's exterior walls. Subsequently, on March 13, an ASI team visited the mosque to assess the necessary resources and manpower. Following this assessment, the whitewashing work began on Sunday morning.
According to Zafar Ali, the president of the mosque management committee, the mosque walls will be painted with traditional colors. He stated, "We have always used green, white, and golden colors and will continue to do so. 9-10 workers are engaged in this work, and more will be called if needed. Our goal is to complete the work on time as per the court's instructions."
Work to be Completed Within a Week
Masood Farooqui, secretary of the Shahi Jama Masjid management committee, informed that the ASI team reviewed the necessary materials and manpower. The contractor overseeing the whitewashing said, "We have been instructed by the ASI to only whitewash the exterior of the mosque, and it will be completed within a week."
Next Hearing on April 8
The next hearing in this case will be on April 8, where the court will review the progress of the work. It is noteworthy that violence erupted during a survey of the mosque in November 2023, resulting in the death of four people and injuries to many others. Now, the repair and whitewashing of the mosque are proceeding under the court's directions.
