Krishna Birthplace: Court Accepts Appeal Against Dismissal Of Suit For Mosque Removal

Mathura: A district court in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh on Friday admitted an appeal against an order dismissing a suit filed to remove Idgah mosque situated adjacent to the Lord Krishna temple complex.

Judge Sadhna Rani Thakur has issued notices to Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board, Trust Masjid Idgah, Srikrishna Janamsthan Trust and Sri Krishna Janam Bhoomi Seva Sangh, LiveLaw reported. The matter will be heard next on November 19.

On September 26, a group of six devotees and the minor deity had moved a civil court seeking the removal of Idgah mosque, which they alleged was built on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century after tearing down a part of a Hindu temple.

The petitioners said in the suit that “every inch of land”, that is 13.37 acres, “of Katra Keshav Dev (as the place is known historically) is sacred for devotees of Lord Shree Krishna and (the) Hindu community”. They had requested for  the “removal of encroachment and superstructure illegally raised” on it “by Committee of Management of alleged Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah with the consent of Sunni Central Board of Waqf”, reported The Indian Express.

On October 2, the civil court in Mathura dismissed the suit citing Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which bars the court from admitting the case.

The petition filed earlier had claimed that Aurangzeb “had issued orders for the demolition of a large number of Hindu religious places and temples… This was including the temple standing at the birthplace of Lord Shree Krishna at Katra Keshav Dev, Mathura in the year 1669-70 (Sixteen Sixty Nine- Seventy) AD. The army of Aurangzeb partly succeeded to demolish Keshav Dev Temple and construction was forcibly raised showing the might of power and said construction was named as Idgah Mosque.”