Bengaluru (The Hawk): With the submission of a PIL by Bajarang Dal to the High Court requesting that it be removed, the Jamia Mosque dispute in Karnataka has gained attention. According to the PIL, there is evidence that the mosque once served as a Hindu temple.
The Jamia Mosque of historic Srirangapatna town in Mandya district contains remnants of Hindu gods and temple architecture; as a result, the mosque should be immediately demolished and Hindu devotees should be permitted to take a bath in the kalyani (traditional water body) situated on the mosque's grounds, according to the petition.
Further demands from Bajrang Dal activists include a resurvey of the mosque along the lines of the Gyanwapi Masjid. Manjunath, the state president of the Bajrang Dal, filed the PIL on Wednesday. 108 Hanuman devotees, including Manjunath, have petitioned.
According to Bajrang Dal sources, 108 is a lucky number in Hindu tradition, so 108 devotees have formed parties.
The Mysore Gazetteer, Hindu mosque architecture, Hindu idol inscriptions, a sacred water body, and references from British officers are additional pieces of evidence that the Bajrang Dal activists have presented to the court.
Hindutva organisations had previously asked the authorities for permission to hold prayers in the mosque. The subject had gained a lot of attention in the state.
The Jamia mosque's administrators have already requested protection for the building from Hindu activists on several occasions.
Masjid-i-Ala, also known as Jamia Masjid, is situated inside the Srirangapatna fort. During Tipu's reign, in 1786–1787, it was constructed. Three inscriptions in the mosque list nine different names of the Prophet Muhammad.
In their submissions to the authorities for a survey of the mosque, Narendra Modi Vichar Manch stated their strong conviction—supported by documentation—that the Jamia Masjid was constructed following the destruction of the Hanuman Temple.
(Inputs from Agencies)