'Sambhal Predates Islam', 'Bhagwa Is My Identity': CM Yogi Adityanath At RSS-Backed Event In Lucknow

Amid the ongoing controversy over Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal Mosque, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that forcibly seizing someone's faith and trampling over their beliefs is "unacceptable", especially "when we know the truth about Sambhal" which predates Islam, with the Vishnu temple there being destroyed in 1526.

Tension has been simmering in Sambhal since the November 2024 riots following a court-ordered survey at a mosque believed by some to be the site of a demolished temple.

'Sambhal Predates Islam': Yogi

While speaking at 'Manthan: Kumbh and Beyond", an event backed by RSS-linked weekly Organiser in Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "Sambhal has been mentioned in scriptures that are 5,000 years old. They contain references to Lord Vishnu's future incarnation. Islam, on the other hand, emerged only 1,400 years ago. I am talking about something that predates Islam by at least 2,000 years.

"The evidence for these things has existed for centuries. Remember, in 1526, a temple of Lord Vishnu in Sambhal was demolished. Two years later, in 1528, the Ram temple in Ayodhya was destroyed," Adityanath said, as per PTI.

According to a report by the Hindustan Times, “Sambhal represents a historical truth, and I have always spoken about it openly,” said Yogi.

'I Am Proud Of Bhagwa': Yogi

Besides glorifying the history of Sambhal, the UP Chief Minister also spoke on ‘Bhagwa’ and how it represents his identity as well as that of 'Sanatan Dharm',

Expressing pride in it, Yodi said, “Bhagwa is my identity, Sanatan Dharm's identity and I am proud of it. One day, the whole world would wear it.”

While opposing the forcible occupation of religious sites, he asserted that as a Yogi, he respects all faiths.

“I am a Yogi, and I respect every sect and religion... But it is not acceptable if someone forcibly occupies a place and destroys someone's faith... There were 68 pilgrimage places in Sambhal, and we have only been able to find 18 so far. In Sambhal, Jalabhishek was performed after 56 years at a Shiva temple,” said Yogi Adityanath.

What Happened In Sambhal?

The riots erupted in Sambhal on November 24 last year during a court-ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid following claims that the mosque was built over the ruins of a Hindu temple allegedly destroyed during the Mughal era.

The survey led to protests, which escalated into violent clashes between local residents and the police. Authorities responded with tear gas and crowd-control measures to contain the situation. The violence resulted in four deaths and multiple injuries.