New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday gave its nod to the Hindu side seeking a survey of the Shahi Idgah Masjid. The Shahi Eidgah premises, adjoining the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura, will now be surveyed by a court-monitored advocate commissioner. The modalities of the survey will be decided on December 18.
The Hindu outfits argued that the mosque was built on the birthplace of Lord Krishna and it had many signs and symbols to back their claim.
According to reports, the Hindu side said that there is evidence to show there existed a temple before the mosque was built. Carvings of lotuses on some of the walls of the mosque, and the shapes similar to 'sheshnag' - the snake demigod in Hindu mythology, show the mosque was built over the temple, the Hindu outfits argued.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer who appeared in the High Court for the Hindu side, said, “Allahabad High Court has allowed our application where we had demanded survey of (Shahi Idgah Masjid) by advocate commissioner. The modalities will be decided on December 18. The court has rejected the arguments of Shahi Idgah Masjid. My demand was that in Shahi Idgah Masjid there are a lot of signs and symbols of the Hindu temple, and to know the actual position, an advocate commissioner is required. It's a landmark judgment by the court.”
It is to be noted that the Hindu side had filed a plea in the Mathura court demanding full ownership of the disputed land spanning 13.37 acres. They claimed that the Shahi Idgah Masjid was built after demolishing the Katra Keshav Dev temple which stood there earlier. This was ordered by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, they said.
The Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and the Shahi Masjid Idgah Trust had signed an agreement in 1968, as per which 10.9 acres of land was given for the Krishna Janmabhoomi and 2.5 acres was allotted for the mosque.
Mockery Of Law, Says Asaduddin Owaisi
Reacting to the court order, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the judgment goes against the Places of Worship Act and will embolden the "Sangh Parivar’s mischiefs".
"The Mathura dispute was settled decades ago by mutual consent between Masjid Committee and the temple’s Trust. A new group has been raking these disputes. Whether it is Kashi, Mathura or Lucknow’s Tiley Wali Masjid, it’s the same group. One can read the agreement here, which was settled before a court of law," he posted on X.
Notably, the Places of Worship Act of 1991 maintains the religious status of any place of worship as it was on August 15, 1947.