In the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah case, the Allahabad High Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking to officially refer to the Eidgah mosque in all future legal proceedings as a “disputed structure." The court stated that such a declaration would amount to prejudging the matter, which is still under adjudication.
According to LiveLaw, Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, presiding over the matter, orally observed that the application was being dismissed “at this stage."
The plea was filed in 2023 by advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh and was backed by several other litigants, including plaintiffs. These suits are among 18 currently clubbed together before the court, all broadly aiming to remove what the petitioners claim are illegal encroachments from the premises of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, which includes the area presently occupied by the Shahi Eidgah Masjid.
The long-standing legal and religious dispute in Mathura centres around the Shahi Eidgah mosque believed to have been constructed during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Petitioners argue that the mosque stands on the original birthplace of Lord Krishna, alleging that it was built after the demolition of a pre-existing Hindu temple.
The long-standing legal and religious dispute in Mathura centres around the Shahi Eidgah mosque believed to have been constructed during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Petitioners argue that the mosque stands on the original birthplace of Lord Krishna, alleging that it was built after the demolition of a pre-existing Hindu temple.
The roots of the current legal battle trace back to 1968, when a compromise was reached between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan — the temple’s management body — and the Trust Shahi Masjid Eidgah. This agreement allowed both religious sites to coexist and function on the same premises. However, this decades-old arrangement has now come under judicial scrutiny.
Several litigants have filed fresh suits contesting the legitimacy of the 1968 compromise. They allege that it was executed fraudulently and lacks legal standing. These petitions seek various forms of judicial relief, including the right to unrestricted worship at the site and the removal of the Shahi Eidgah mosque, which they claim encroaches upon the sacred Janmabhoomi land.
Source: News18