The controversy over the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, has once again heated up political and religious circles. The judicial commission set up to investigate the violent incidents of November 24, 2024, submitted its report to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but questions are being raised about its confidential nature. Details of the incidents During the survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Chandusi town of Sambhal, a riot broke out on November 24, 2024, in which four people were killed and several injured in firing and stone pelting. The angry mob set several vehicles on fire, and the police arrested dozens of protesters. The controversy began when a local court ordered a survey to investigate the claim of an alleged temple under the mosque on the petition of Vishnu Shankar Jain. The Supreme Court later stayed any action based on the survey, but an atmosphere of fear persists in Sambhal. The Uttar Pradesh government constituted a judicial commission headed by retired High Court judge Devendra Kumar Arora, which included retired IAS officer Amit Mohan and IPS officer Arvind Kumar Jain. The commission aims to find out the causes of the violence, the responsibility The report was to identify the perpetrators, and prepare recommendations to prevent such a situation in the future. The report was submitted to the Chief Minister on August 28, 2025, but it is being criticized for not being shared with the public or the media. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakharul Hasan Chand objected to the confidential nature of the report, saying that the BJP government was using it to divert attention from the real issues. Maulana Sajid Rashidi called the report biased, claiming that it mentioned a decrease in the Hindu population from 45 percent to 15 percent, which was attributed to migration, although the local temple priest confirmed that their migration was due to work, not forced. The mosque committee questioned the haste of the survey, as the court had ordered Advocate Commissioner Ramesh Singh Raghav to submit the report by November 29, 2024, but the survey was conducted within a few hours on the same day. Muslim lawyers accused the court of not giving them a chance to present their case. The Allahabad High Court recently allowed painting and proper lighting on the mosque's outer walls, but rejected the arguments of the Archaeology Department. Rejecting, he asked why immediate action was not taken if there was a violation? Reactions and concerns Political observers say the secret presentation of the report could increase tensions in Sambhal, as the lack of transparency is spreading mistrust among the public. Muslim organisations have asked the Supreme Court to implement the 1991 Places of Worship Protection Act, which guarantees the preservation of the status of August 15, 1947. BJP leaders link the dispute to Hindu identity, while the opposition calls it a tactic used for political gain. Yogi Adityanath has in the past linked such disputes to his government’s claims of ‘law and order’, but figures show that the crime rate in Uttar Pradesh is still high. “Transparency is the soul of democracy. Keeping the report secret undermines public trust.” — Fakharul Hasan Chand References The Wire Urdu BBC Urdu, Urdu Voice of America, Sahil Online, Hindustan Express, X-Post