Malda, July 27 (V7N)- A fresh political and religious controversy has emerged in India over the 650-year-old Adina Mosque in West Bengal's Malda district, with a Hindu organization announcing plans to install a Shivling near the historic monument.

The development has reignited debate over the origins of the medieval structure, drawing comparisons to the long-running Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute.

The Adina Mosque, built in 1373 by Sultan Sikandar Shah, is recognized by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the largest mosque of the medieval period in the Indian subcontinent.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and several Hindu organizations have alleged that the mosque was constructed after demolishing the ancient Adinath Temple. They claim that elements of Hindu and Buddhist architecture are visible in the monument and have announced plans to seek an ASI report through the Calcutta High Court.

As part of the campaign, a 3.6-foot-high Shivling, weighing around one and a half tonnes, is being transported approximately 289 kilometers from Tarakeswar to Adina under tight security.

The ASI has, however, clarified that no religious rituals will be permitted inside the centrally protected monument. The Adina Mosque is protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and authorities have said its protected status prohibits new religious activities within the site.

Police have strengthened security around the monument to prevent any untoward incidents.

The issue was first raised prominently in the Rajya Sabha on December 5 last year by BJP leader Shamik Bhattacharya, who alleged that the mosque had been built using materials from ancient Hindu and Buddhist religious structures. He urged the central government and the ASI to investigate the historical claims.

Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Jamaat has accused the BJP of attempting to inflame communal tensions.

The organization's president, Maulana Shahabuddin, alleged that efforts are being made to create religious polarization around the centuries-old monument. He claimed that the mosque has long been recognized as a protected historical structure and warned against actions that could disturb communal harmony in West Bengal.

On the other hand, BJP Rajya Sabha member Rahul Sinha compared the dispute to the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, claiming that the religious sentiments of Hindu devotees should also be taken into consideration.

The controversy surrounding the Adina Mosque has once again brought historical monuments and religious claims into the center of political debate in India, while authorities continue to maintain heightened security around the protected site.

END/SMA/AJ