Krishna Janmbhoomi: Hindu outfit seeks Shahi Masjid's voluntary demolition, moves court

In the latest development in the case pertaining to the Krishna Janmbhoomi, a Hindu outfit has moved the Mathura Court for an amicable settlement with the Intazamia Committee with a condition. Sri Krishna Janmabhumi Mukti Aandolan Samiti on Tuesday said that it was willing to offer a larger piece of land in place of the one on which the Shahi Masjid is currently situated if the mosque's management committee agrees to voluntarily demolish the Mughal era shrine on its own. It has been alleged by Hindu outfits for years now that the 17th century Shahi Masjid was allegedly constructed inside the Katra Keshav Dev temple complex.

Assuring that the Intazamia Committee would be offered a bigger land, Sri Krishna Janmabhumi Mukti Aandolan Samiti's advocate added that some extra land outside the periphery of Chaurasi Kos Parikrama would also be offered to the mosque's management committee if the shrine was razed down voluntarily and was handed over to the Hindu outfit. 

The Shai Idgah Mosque- Krishna Janmabhoomi case

Previously, a Mathura Court had adjourned the hearing on a plea for shifting the 17th century Shahi Masjid away from the birthplace of Lord Krishna in the Katra Keshav Dev temple. President of Sri Krishna Janmabhumi Mukti Andolan Samiti had moved the court for annulment of a 1967 ruling by Mathura court which had ratified a land deal between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and Shahi Idgah Management Committee, allowing the existence of the mosque near the temple. The next hearing has now been fixed for 22 March.

As per the 1967 agreement signed between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and the Shahi Idgah Mosque Management Committee, the mosque was allowed to exist and use the land on which it is situated. But the petitioners have claimed ownership over the entire 13.37 acres of land on which both religious places stand arguing that the Sansthan did not have the authority to ink the deal with the mosque management committee. As per the 1991 Act, barring for the litigation on the Ayodhya land dispute, this law prohibited courts from entertaining any petition that would alter the status quo of a religious place as existed on August 15, 1947. The demand to demolish the Shahi Idgah Mosque gained some momentum after the 2019 verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case where Hindus were given the entire disputed land and Muslims were given five acres elsewhere in Ayodhya.