The Mathura Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute has once again come into the spotlight as the Supreme Court of India has deferred its hearing on the case. A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar had been set to hear petitions related to the matter, but the proceedings have been delayed.
At the heart of the issue is the long-standing legal battle over the ownership and rights to the land surrounding the Krishna Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Lord Krishna in Mathura, and the Shahi Masjid Eidgah.
Various petitions have been filed by different groups, including Hindu devotees and the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah, who are contesting the claims.
The mosque committee, through its legal representation, has challenged the maintainability of several lawsuits filed by Hindu devotees over the years.
In one of the significant petitions, the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah has contested an August 1 ruling by the Allahabad High Court. The court had dismissed applications filed by the mosque committee, which sought to reject multiple lawsuits filed by Hindu plaintiffs.
The lawsuits claim that the Shahi Masjid Eidgah is built on the site of Lord Krishna’s birthplace, thus sparking a heated debate over the rightful ownership of the land.
The mosque committee argues that the High Court made an error by rejecting their applications and allowing the 15 lawsuits to proceed. They also claim that the court’s judgment was flawed as it combined the pleadings of different suits and dismissed all applications without considering the specifics of each case.
The mosque committee has now approached the Supreme Court, seeking interim relief and a stay on the Allahabad High Court's order.
The case has drawn attention due to its religious and historical significance. The Shahi Masjid Eidgah was constructed in the 17th century, around 1669-70, during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
The mosque was built on the premises of the Katra Keshav Dev temple, which is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Over the years, various groups have contested the ownership of the land, with Hindu devotees demanding the removal of the mosque and seeking control over the site.
One of the petitioners in the case is Ranjana Agnihotri, a resident of Lucknow, who filed a suit in the Mathura court demanding the ownership of 13.37 acres of land believed to be Krishna Janmabhoomi.
Her legal suit also seeks the removal of the Shahi Masjid mosque, arguing that it was constructed on the land of a pre-existing temple.
The legal dispute over the Krishna Janmabhoomi site is part of a larger series of ongoing legal battles. In previous proceedings, the Allahabad High Court had transferred all cases related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute from the Mathura District Court to itself.
This transfer has been challenged by the mosque committee, which claims that it should have been handled by the lower courts rather than being centralized in the High Court.
Follow us
