Bharuch: The long-running dispute over the origins of Bharuch’s 700-year-old Jama Masjid intensified on Monday after followers of the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti and supporters of Shri Chakradhar Swami submitted a petition bearing around 35,000 signatures to the district administration and organized a large rally seeking protection of what they claim are Hindu and Jain relics within the monument.

The petition, submitted to the collector’s office, follows renewed demands by Hindu and Jain groups for a detailed investigation into the structure’s historical identity. The groups claim the monument was originally a Jain Samari Vihar and the birthplace of Shri Chakradhar Swami, allegations that have been rejected by the mosque trustees.

Meanwhile, a large number of devotees, saints, and mahants began assembling at the hostel ground in the city from the morning hours. Organizers claimed that, apart from local residents, participants from across Gujarat and neighbouring Maharashtra also joined the march. The rally began from the hostel ground and is set to proceed to the Collector’s Office, where a memorandum was submitted to the district administration.

The latest mobilisation comes months after a video purportedly recorded on March 4 went viral on social media. Campaigners claim the footage shows idols of Jain Tirthankar Lord Mallinath and Hindu deities inside a basement of the mosque that has remained closed for years.

The controversy has gained momentum in recent months, prompting representations from saints, mahants and various Hindu and Jain organizations. Amid the growing dispute, officials from the Archaeological Survey of India conducted an inspection of the basement under tight security arrangements.

Campaigners claim that an ancient idol of Lord Mallinath bearing an inscription mentioning Samvat 1213 was found during the inspection. They also allege that several pillars and architectural features of the monument contain carvings linked to Jain and Hindu traditions. According to them, the inspection was videographed and a report was submitted to higher authorities.

Meanwhile, the trustees of Jumma Masjid have rejected the claims, maintaining that the mosque has been officially recorded in government gazette records since 1907 and is managed by a trust registered under the Waqf Board. They have described the allegations as an attempt to create unnecessary controversy around a historic place of worship. DeshGujarat