Amidst the imminent Lok Sabha elections, a controversy has ignited in West Bengal’s Malda district over the historical identity of ‘Adina Masjid,’ formerly speculated to be the ancient ‘Adinath Mandir.’
The matter unfolded when Hiranmoy Goswami, a priest and president of the Vishwavidyalaya Trust in Vrindavan, led a group of Hindus to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-listed monument, ‘Adina Masjid.’ During their visit, Goswami conducted a puja at the site, claiming the presence of Hindu deities and a ‘Shivling.’
Local Muslims reported the incident to the authorities, leading to a confrontation between Goswami and the police. The ASI, responsible for maintaining the structure, subsequently filed a complaint at the Malda police station, resulting in an FIR against Goswami.
A viral video, unverified by ETV Bharat, portrays a plain-clothed police officer, identified as Nabin Chandra Poddar, engaging in a heated exchange with Goswami regarding the attempted puja inside the monument. The video also shows rituals being performed around a stone structure, purportedly part of the ‘Shivling.’
Mohammed Jamil Akhtar, the Imam of Kutubshah Jame Masjid near Adina Masjid, clarified the historical record, asserting that there was never a temple at the site. He emphasized that the mosque, once bustling during the Sultanate era, gradually declined after an earthquake, leading to its closure. Akhtar urged for the maintenance of the structure by the ASI to ensure peace.
Dulal Sarkar, vice-president of the Trinamool Congress in the district, expressed concern over religious sentiments being exploited before elections. He emphasized the need for research into India’s history and cautioned against actions that could disrupt communal harmony.
The BJP accused the ruling TMC of employing duplicity to garner minority votes, asserting a social rather than religious agenda. Parthasarathi Ghosh, president of BJP’s South Malda district, highlighted a broader effort to restore the lost glory of historical sites tarnished during foreign rule.
The controversy surrounding Adina Masjid dates back to May 2022 when Rathindra Bose, the then state BJP vice-president, claimed the existence of a temple beneath the structure. Activist Sourish Mukherjee, a spokesperson for the West Bengal unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, supported this claim, citing structures and motifs inside the mosque indicative of a pre-existing temple.
Historian Sukhomoy Mukhopadhyay provided historical context, stating that the Adina Mosque’s construction was completed in 1374 during the Bengal Sultanate. He highlighted its significance as the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent at the time, drawing parallels with the Great Mosque of Damascus.
In this complex and contentious situation, political, religious, and historical dimensions converge, raising questions about the preservation of heritage and the potential impact on communal harmony in Malda.