Krishna Janmabhoomi: Plea seeks survey of Shahi Eidgah Mosque premises

The petiotioners have sought appointment of an advocate commissioner for spot inspection of Shahi Eidgah Mosque, saying there are still remains of Hindu religion within the structure, which can prove that it was originally a Thakur Keshav Dev temple, demolished to build a mosque.

Agra Petitioners in the Sri Krishna Janambhoomi case moved an application in court on Monday, seeking appointment of an advocate commissioner for spot inspection of Shahi Eidgah Mosque adjoining the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi, before the summer vacation of the court in June.

The court ordered to take up the application on July 1. (HT file photo)

“There are still remains of Hindu religion within Shahi Eidgah Mosque which can prove that it was originally a Thakur Keshav Dev temple, demolished to build a mosque. These facts are important for disposal of the case but those managing Shahi Eidgah mosque are inclined to remove these symbols of Hindu religion. So it is very necessary that a survey, including videography and photography of the mosque premises, should be conducted before the court goes for summer vacation from June 1,” said Rajendra Maheshwari, one of the petitioners.

The court ordered to take up the application on July 1, the date already fixed in the case .The other petitioners present in court on Monday included Jai Bhagwan Goyal from Delhi and Saurabh Gaur.

This application seeking appointment of advocate commissioner had been moved in the past also and is yet to be disposed of.

The management committee of Shahi Eidgah (mosque), adjoining Sri Krishna Janambhoomi, had moved an application challenging the maintainability of the suit before civil judge (senior division) in Mathura and had prayed for dismissal of the suit and is being heard presently.

The suit was filed on December 23, 2020 in the court of the Mathura civil judge (senior division) on behalf of the deity, Bhagwan Keshav Dev (Lord Krishna), seeking removal of the Shahi Eidgah (mosque) adjacent to the Shri Krishna temple complex and transfer of 13.37-acre land to the deity.

About a-dozen cases have been filed in the Mathura court on the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi issue in the past one-and-a-half-years. The petitioners in these cases have challenged the settlement dated 12.10.1968 between Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sangh and Shahi Masjid Eidgah, which was part of suit no. 43 of 1967. The petitioners alleged that the settlement had no legal validity because the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust, having ownership and title, was not party to it. Thus, the court should order transfer of the Eidgah mosque land to the deity, they said.