'Miracle after miracle since Modi visit': Is UP's Sambhal the next Kashi & Mathura for BJP?

In February 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a grand Kalki temple in Sambhal, dedicated to the prophesied tenth avatar of Vishnu.

Once a quiet historical town in western Uttar Pradesh, Sambhal has become a focal point of intense political and communal activity over the past year. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has significantly increased its engagement in the region, aligning with its broader Hindutva-driven strategy. From the foundation-laying of a Kalki temple by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a sudden spike in communal tensions, the town has emerged as a crucial battleground ahead of the 2027 state elections.

The growing spotlight on Sambhal is no coincidence. The BJP’s moves in the region, combined with interventions by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and legal battles over religious sites, including its historic Jama Masjid, suggest a well-orchestrated strategy. On Tuesday the ASI indicated that the Masjid will now be known as Juma Masjid – as was originally known.

Opposition parties, particularly the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress, have struggled to mount a counter-response, allowing the BJP to dictate the narrative. With the region's political and religious landscape shifting, Sambhal has become a microcosm of the broader ideological battle playing out across India.

Kalki Temple and Political Realignments

In February 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a grand Kalki temple in Sambhal, dedicated to the prophesied tenth avatar of Vishnu. This initiative was spearheaded by Acharya Pramod Krishnam, a former Congress leader who has now aligned himself with the BJP. The temple is envisioned as a major religious center, akin to Kashi and Mathura, and is widely seen as a move to consolidate Hindu votes in the region.

During his speech Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: When Lord Ram ruled, its impact was felt for thousands of years. Like Lord Ram, Kalki will impact a thousand years.” He also said that the ceremony had come to pass after “18 years of waiting”.

Like Ram, Kalki is considered an incarnation of Vishnu.

Acharya Pramod Krishnam, chairman of the Shri Kalki Dham Nirman Trust, who attended the temple's foundation stone-laying ceremony alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, told reporters: "Ever since Modi visited Kalki Dham, Sambhal has experienced one miracle after another. New findings are emerging, and it feels as if the incarnation of God is imminent."

By new findings, he probably meant the “discovery” of temples and bawli in Sambhal.

The Kalki temple’s construction has profound political implications. Sambhal has traditionally been an SP stronghold, with its sizable Muslim population playing a crucial role in electoral outcomes. However, by promoting a major Hindu religious project in the town, the BJP is seeking to polarize the electorate, ensuring that a united Hindu vote overshadows traditional caste-based politics.

Eight months after the Kalki temple’s foundation was laid, in November 2024, communal violence erupted in Sambhal following a court-ordered ASI survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The survey was initiated based on claims that the mosque was built over an ancient Hindu temple. What began as a legal proceeding soon turned into street-level violence, leading to four deaths and over 20 injuries. The rapid escalation of tensions has raised questions about whether these events are being strategically timed to benefit political interests.

During the recent Winter Session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath justified the survey of an old mosque in Sambhal, which had sparked violence in November. He cited references from the Baburnama, claiming that a temple once stood at the location. Additionally, he highlighted Sambhal’s association with Kalki, the prophesied tenth incarnation of Vishnu, as mentioned in the Puranas.

Further fueling communal sensitivities was the reopening of an ancient Shiva-Hanuman temple in Sambhal. The temple had remained closed since 1978 but was rediscovered during an anti-encroachment drive near the Jama Masjid. During the clearing operation, authorities found three idols near a well close to the temple, which have now been incorporated into its heritage restoration efforts.

The reopening of the temple, coming in the wake of the ASI’s survey of the mosque, has deepened the communal divide. BJP leaders have used this development to bolster their narrative of historical injustices against Hindu places of worship. The move has been met with sharp criticism from opposition leaders, who argue that such actions are deliberately aimed at stoking communal sentiments before elections.

Western Uttar Pradesh: A Testing Ground for BJP’s Strategy

The BJP’s aggressive push in Sambhal is part of a broader plan for Western Uttar Pradesh, a region with a mixed Hindu-Muslim demographic and a history of communal tensions. The party has successfully used religious mobilization in this region before, most notably during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, which played a pivotal role in the BJP’s sweeping victory in the 2014 general elections.

Western UP has long remained out of BJP reach, and the party has been keen to change that, reflected in its tie-up with the RLD and the push that helped it wrest the SP bastion of Kundarki, located next door to Sambhal, in the recent bypolls. BJP sources said, as part of this push, Sambhal is set to join Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi (Varanasi) as pre-eminent religious sites in UP for the party.

Historically, Sambhal has been a stronghold of the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), both of which rely on Muslim and Dalit support. Despite its national dominance, the BJP has struggled to make inroads here. In the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, SP leader Shafiqur Rahman Barq and his grandson Zia ur Rahman Barq retained the seat. Similarly, in the 2022 state elections, SP’s Iqbal Mehmood managed to hold onto his assembly constituency despite the BJP’s strong statewide performance.

However, the BJP’s recent moves indicate a clear attempt to alter this equation. By focusing on religious issues, the party aims to create a Hindu vote bank that transcends caste divisions. If successful, this strategy could significantly weaken the SP’s traditional support base.

Sambhal’s political landscape has seen dramatic shifts over the decades. Post-independence, the Congress held sway, with Shanti Devi representing the constituency in the Lok Sabha. In the 1990s, regional parties like the SP and BSP rose to prominence, ushering in an era of caste-based politics.

SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav served as Sambhal’s MP in 1998 and 1999, followed by his cousin Ram Gopal Yadav in 2004. Shafiqur Rahman Barq continued this legacy, winning in 2009 and 2019. However, BJP made a breakthrough in 2014 when Satyapal Singh Saini won the seat. Since then, the party has been making calculated moves to consolidate its position. Out of the five assembly seats in Sambhal district BJP won only one, other four went to SP.

Despite rising communal tensions, the opposition has failed to mount an effective counter-strategy. Akhilesh Yadav’s responses have been sporadic, and the Congress has largely remained silent. Analysts argue that opposition parties are wary of engaging in religious debates, fearing it might alienate sections of their voter base. However, this inaction has allowed the BJP to control the narrative unchallenged.

The Road Ahead: 2027 Elections and Beyond

With the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections looming, Sambhal has become a key battleground for the BJP. The party’s strategy is clear—utilize religious mobilization to create a strong Hindu vote bank. If the opposition fails to counter this effectively, it risks losing not only Sambhal but also other strongholds in Western Uttar Pradesh.

As the political temperature rises, Sambhal serves as a microcosm of India’s larger ideological battle. The town’s future—whether as a beacon of communal harmony or a center of political strife—will be decided in the months leading up to the 2027 elections.