Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, August 31, 2025 – The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has come out strong against the findings of a recent judicial report on the Sambhal violence, saying it will not let the area, known as the holy land of Kalki, turn into a base for Jihadis. This statement comes after a three-member panel handed over its 450-page report to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, exposing deep-rooted issues like falling Hindu numbers and links to terror groups.
The trouble goes back to November 2024, when clashes broke out in Sambhal during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. Hindus claim the mosque sits on the site of an ancient Harihar Temple, a spot tied to the prophecy of Lord Vishnu’s final avatar, Kalki. On the second day of the survey, protesters pelted stones at police, leading to chaos. Security forces fired back, and four people died in the violence. The government set up a judicial commission, led by retired judge Devendra Kumar Arora, to look into what happened.
The report, submitted just days ago, paints a grim picture. It says the Hindu population in Sambhal has dropped from 45 percent at India’s independence to just 15 percent now. This shift came from repeated riots, more than 15 big ones in the last 70 years, that targeted Hindus and their holy sites. The panel found signs of a planned plot to spark violence, including speeches by local leaders like Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq that stirred up crowds.
Even scarier, the report links Sambhal to international terror networks. It names locals who joined groups like Al-Qaeda, Hizbul Mujahideen, and Tehreek-e-Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some made it to the US’s top terrorist lists, like Maulana Asim Umar, once Al-Qaeda’s chief for the Indian subcontinent. The commission talks about “Ghazwa-e-Hind” – an idea of conquering India for Islam being pushed there. It also mentions cases of “love jihad,” where Hindu girls were tricked into relationships, converted, and sometimes forced to leave. Foreign-made weapons were used in the riots, and the area has turned into a spot for illegal activities, including drug trade to fund extremists.
VHP’s national spokesperson, Vinod Bansal, didn’t hold back. “Vishwa Hindu Parishad will not let the holy land of Kalki become a base for Jihadis under any circumstances,” he said. He called the report an eye-opener, showing how Sambhal has become a hub for anti-national and anti-Hindu plots. Bansal blamed past governments for ignoring the problem through appeasement, letting “mini Pakistans” form. He praised Yogi’s rule for stepping in, saying without it, Hindus might have faced even worse times.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath echoed this toughness. A day after getting the report, he warned that anyone trying to change the area’s demography would face their own forced exit. “Our double-engine government won’t let the demography shift,” he said, pointing to the riots as a conspiracy to hit Hindus. The UP home department is now digging deeper into the terror ties, which stretch from America to Pakistan.
This isn’t just about one town. The report highlights how old riots, backed by some politicians, led to Hindus fleeing. In past governments, no action was taken against rioters, and temples were grabbed. Now, with the findings out, groups like the VHP are calling on Hindus to stay alert and report suspicious activities. Bansal urged people not to run away but to stand firm, promising the VHP’s full support.
The Sambhal case has sparked talks across India about protecting religious sites and stopping demographic games. Legal teams are moving carefully, but the push to reclaim the temple site continues. Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer behind the survey petition, noted how riots have violated Hindus’ rights and exposed hidden wells and temples in the area.
As UP gears up for more probes, the VHP’s stand is clear- Sambhal, the prophesied birthplace of Kalki, must stay safe from extremist threats. This report could lead to big changes, like cracking down on terror modules and helping Hindus return. For now, it’s a wake-up call for everyone to watch and act before things get worse.
