Mathura Court Allows Lawsuit Demanding Removal Of Shahi Idgah Mosque

Mathura: A court in Uttar Pradesh has allowed the lawsuit which demanded the removal of a mosque in Mathura.

It is said that the Shahi Idgah mosque was built on the "Krishna Janmabhoomi" or the birthplace of Lord Krishna and this means that a court can hear the lawsuit.

Hindu outfits had filed many lawsuits in the past where they demanded the removal of the 17th century Shahi Idgah Masjid from the Katra Keshav Dev temple, claiming that the mosque had been built on the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

According to the petitions, the Shahi Idgah mosque was built at the Krishna Janmabhoomi on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1669-70.

Ranjana Agnihotri, a resident of Lucknow had filed the lawsuit as the "next friend of the infant Lord Krishna" of the Katra Keshav Dev temple.

"As worshippers of Lord Krishna, we have the right to file a suit demanding restoration of his property. The mosque was wrongly built on Krishna Janmabhoomi. There was a compromise several years ago on the sharing of property, but that compromise was illegal," said Gopal Khandelwal, a lawyer for the petitioner.

Earlier, the civil court in Mathura had dismissed the case saying it cannot be admitted under the Places of Worship Act of 1991, which maintains the religious status of any place of worship as it was on August 15, 1947.

The Krishna Janmabhoomi suit was earlier dismissed by the Mathura court and it said that a large number of worshippers may approach the court in various cases if it was registered.

Thereafter, the petitioners appealed against the order and argued that they have a right to approach the court as devotees of Lord Krishna. They say they have the right to worship at the actual birthplace of Lord Krishna.

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