Krishna Janmabhoomi Dispute: Suits Of Hindu Worshippers & Deity Maintainable, Says Allahabad HC

New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday rejected the Shahi Eidgah (Mathura) Masjid Committee's plea under Order 7 Rule 11, which sought to challenge the maintainability of suits filed by Hindu worshippers and the deity. The court’s decision upholds the validity of all 18 suits, allowing them to proceed.

Justice Mayank Kumar Jain on June 6 had reserved his judgment on the plea moved by the Muslim side regarding maintainability of suits. For the unversed, several suits have been filed seeking the "removal" of the Shahi Idgah mosque located adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, with litigants claiming that the Aurangazeb-era mosque was built after the demolition of the temple.

The mosque management committee, in its petition, had challenged these suits.

The Muslim side -- mosque management committee and UP Sunni Central Waqf Board --  argued that the suits are barred under Places of Worship Act, 1991.

According to the Muslim side, the suits itself admit the fact that the mosque in question was built in 1669-70.

The suits filed by the Hindu side contain a common prayer seeking the "removal" of the Shahi Idgah mosque from the 13.37-acre complex it shares with the Katra Keshav Dev temple in Mathura. The additional prayers include seeking possession of the Shahi Idgah premises.