In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court has declared the maintainability of 18 suits filed by Hindu parties concerning the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute in Mathura. This decision came on Thursday, rejecting the objections raised by the Muslim side, which manages the Shahi Idgah Masjid.
The controversy centers on the claim by Hindu groups that the Shahi Idgah Masjid was constructed over the land known as Krishna Janmabhoomi. The Hindu plaintiffs, including the deity Bhagwan Shri Krishna Virajman, have been advocating for the mosqueโs removal, presenting evidence they believe supports the site’s ancient Hindu heritage.
Justice Mayank Kumar Jain dismissed the application from the Muslim parties, who argued that the Hindu suits were inadmissible based on several legal grounds, including the Places of Worship Act, the Limitation Act, and the Specific Relief Act. This act effectively seeks to maintain the status quo of religious structures as they were in 1947.
This legal battle saw earlier developments when, on December 14 of the previous year, the High Court permitted a Hindu deity and seven other Hindu parties to appoint a court commissioner to inspect the mosque. However, this directive was suspended following an appeal to the Supreme Court.
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The ongoing legal proceedings, initially held in a trial court, were transferred to the High Court in 2023. In September 2020, a civil court had dismissed the case citing the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which was later overturned by the Mathura District Court in May 2022, asserting the case’s maintainability and setting the stage for the current High Court deliberation.
