{
  "id": 13303384,
  "title": "Is Bharuch’s Jami Masjid a Jain temple? Gujarat High Court seeks Centre’s response",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/is-bharuchs-jami-masjid-a-jain-temple-gujarat-high-court-seeks",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T02:21:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/bharuch-jami-masjid-jain-temple-claim-gujarat-high-court-centre-response-10914938/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Gujarat High Court has taken up a case concerning a disputed religious identity of Bharuch’s historic Jami Masjid. Five petitioners, belonging to the \"Jain Hindu community,\" have sought a declaration that the protected monument is a Jain temple. They claim that images, artefacts, and sculptures at the monument have been damaged, raising concerns over further harm to an \"idol of Tirthankar Mallinath.\"\n\nThe petition was filed by Hari Shankar Jain and four others. A hearing was conducted by Justice Nisha M Thakore on Friday, who directed the Union government and other central authorities to submit a comprehensive response by October 13. The petitioners provided photographs and a video as evidence of the idol’s condition, alleging damage to the monument. They argued that the monument, recorded as a mosque in Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) records, is, in fact, a Jain Hindu temple. Their legal team cited the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and a Madhya Pradesh High Court judgment to support their claim.\n\nDuring the hearing, the central authorities' counsel maintained that the monument had been maintained strictly in accordance with the law. The court acknowledged that the petitioners had bypassed the relevant authorities by directly approaching the High Court. However, it emphasized the ASI's statutory obligation to protect and preserve the structure, including the idol, and asked the respondents' counsel to obtain complete instructions on the allegations.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Gujarat High Court seeks Central government's response on Jami Masjid's religious identity.",
    "Five Jain Hindu petitioners claim the historic monument is a Jain temple, not a mosque.",
    "Court directs Union government to submit comprehensive response by October 13."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Gujarat High Court's involvement in the Jami Masjid case shifts the spotlight to the Centre, which must now respond to allegations that challenge the monument's officially recorded identity as a mosque.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}