Mathura court admits plea for removal of mosque allegedly built on Krishna's birthplace

In a significant development on Friday, a Mathura court admitted a petition seeking the removal of the Shahi Idgah Mosque situated adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi. Earlier, a civil court had rejected the plea in this regard. The petitioners have claimed ownership over the entire 13.37 acres of land on which both religious places stand. They have also challenged the agreement signed between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and the Shahi Idgah Mosque Management Committee on October 12, 1968.

As per the agreement, the mosque was allowed to exist and use the land on which it is situated. On the other hand, the petitioners have argued that the agreement should be cancelled as the Sansthan did not have the authority to ink the deal with the mosque management committee. District Judge Sadhna Rani Thakur issued notice to the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, the Shahi Masjid Idgah Trust and others, before posting the matter for hearing on November 18.

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The All-India Akhara Parishad has backed the contention that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb built the mosque in place of a Krishna temple which was constructed at the birthplace of Lord Krishna. While rejecting the petition on September 30, the civil court had cited a bar under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. 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. 

The Ayodhya verdict

On November 9, 2019,  the Constitution bench of the SC, comprising of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer pronounced a unanimous verdict, awarding the entire disputed area in Ayodhya to the Hindu parties. It directed the Centre to formulate a scheme within three months which will be responsible for building a temple. On the other hand, the SC ordered that an alternative land of 5 acres in Ayodhya would be given to the Sunni Central Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque. 

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(With ANI inputs)