Religious Tensions Rise in India as Protests in Sambhal, Arrests in Shimla Reflect Growing Mosque Disputes

Religious Tensions Rise in India as Protests in Sambhal, Arrests in Shimla Reflect Growing Mosque Disputes
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Two separate but related incidents this week highlight escalating communal tensions around mosques in northern India, as documented by Muslim Mirror.

In Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, members of the Harihar Sena, led by Mahant Rishi Raj Giri, have announced a 2.5‑kilometre “padyatra” (peaceful foot march) around the Shahi Jama Masjid on November 19. The event, timed to mark the first anniversary of a court‑ordered survey of the mosque site, is being framed by organizers as a “social, religious and spiritual activity.” According to Giri, no formal permission has been obtained yet.

The mosque has become a flashpoint in a long-running title-dispute: petitioners claim that the mosque stands on the site of a former Hindu temple. During a previous court-ordered survey on November 19 last year, violence broke out two weeks later, leaving at least four dead.

An FIR has also been filed alleging that mosque committee members obstructed archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) during their inspection of the mosque’s main dome.

Meanwhile, in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, a separate mosque row escalated as six Hindu activists — co-convenor Madan Thakur, Vijay Sharma, Kalpana Sharma, Shweta Chauhan, Shilpi, and Parul — were arrested for allegedly blocking Friday prayers.

The activists belong to the Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, affiliated with the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), and claim the mosque structure in Sanjauli is illegal.

Authorities report that these individuals questioned the identity and citizenship of worshippers and attempted to bar them from entering for prayers. Earlier this year, a Shimla court ordered the demolition of three unauthorized floors of the mosque.