In a recent development, the Allahabad High Court has allowed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) a one-week period to submit its response regarding a plea for the survey of Jama Masjid in Agra. This directive comes amidst claims that the mosque could be concealing relics of historic Hindu idols.
The plea, initiated by Hindu plaintiffs, alleges that idols of Thakur Keshav Dev, the primary deity from the Krishna Janmbhoomi temple, were interred beneath the mosque following its destruction by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s forces in 1670. The court, presided over by Justice Mayank Kumar Jain, has scheduled the next hearing for August 12.
In addition to addressing the ASI’s impending response, the court has also provided the Hindu plaintiffs’ counsel additional time to file objections to a recent application by the Committee of Management Shahi Masjid Idgah of Mathura. This committee seeks to be recognized as a party in the ongoing legal discourse.
This case is part of 18 consolidated lawsuits revolving around the disputed Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah site. The specific suit in question was filed on behalf of deity Thakur Keshav Dev Ji Maharaj Virajman Mandir Katra Keshav Dev, represented by a devotee.
