Ujjain Mosque Row Sees MP High Court Dispose Of Pleas After Muslim Side Cites Agreement

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Indore bench dismissed two writ appeals on Monday concerning the planned removal of a section of Ujjain's historic Shahi Masjid for road expansion ahead of the 2028 Simhastha Kumbh Mela. The Muslim side cited an agreement with the Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC). A division bench of Justices Subodh Abhyankar and Jai Kumar Pillai ruled on the appeals after learning that the parties had reached an agreement with the civic body regarding the removal of the obstructing mosque portion.

The court also emphasized that the UMC's promises and interim notice in the matter would be legally binding on the civic body. During the hearing, the UMC's lawyer clarified that the arrangement was not a "settlement" but that the appellants had agreed to remove the obstructing portion themselves and had commenced work on Monday.

The lawyer further stated that over 80 religious structures, primarily temples, had already been affected as part of the road-widening work, with less than 10% of the Shahi Masjid to be impacted. The state government submitted videos supporting its claims, which the court reviewed. The Muslim party's lawyer informed PTI that the court dismissed the appeals based on the UMC's agreement with the mosque management committee and instructed both sides to comply with it.

The lawyer clarified that the affected mosque portion would be relocated within the structure, and the UMC had assured the preservation of shops on the ground floor. This development follows protests in Ujjain over the proposed mosque removal, resulting in police using tear gas to disperse a crowd, several arrests, and a case filed against seven individuals, including social media influencers accused of spreading inflammatory statements.

The broader road-widening project is projected to affect 272 structures, including religious sites, with the state government allocating approximately Rs 9.8 crore for the initiative.