Supreme Court Intervention: Temporal Pause on Mathura’s Shahi Idgah Survey Amidst Ongoing Legal Tussle
Legal Battle Continues as Hindu and Muslim Committees Clash Over Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid Dispute.
The Supreme Court of India has put a stay on the survey of Shahi Idgah, situated adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The decision comes in response to an Allahabad High Court order that had sanctioned a court-monitored survey of the disputed site on December 14. The apex court has also halted the appointment of a commissioner as per the high court’s directive.
The Supreme Court’s decision followed a plea by the mosque committee, challenging the Allahabad High Court’s order. The court has sought a response from the Hindu outfit Bhagwan Shri Krishna Virajman and others involved in the dispute. The Hindu side had appealed for the constitution of a commission, asserting that the Shahi Idgah mosque exhibits indications suggesting it was once a Hindu temple.
The ongoing legal battle revolves around the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute, a decades-old issue concerning the site in Mathura. Hindu petitioners claim that the mosque, Shahi Idgah, was constructed atop the birthplace of Lord Krishna. They argue that signs within the mosque premises, such as a lotus-shaped pillar characteristic of Hindu temples, indicate its historical Hindu roots.
The Allahabad High Court, in its order on December 14, allowed the Hindu side to conduct a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah mosque premises. The court issued this order in response to an application filed by a plaintiff seeking the restoration of the 13.37-acre land associated with the mosque. Meanwhile, the mosque committee contested the order, invoking the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. They argued that the lawsuit is barred by this act, which prohibits the alteration of the character of religious places.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for January 23. The court has also issued notices to the Hindu bodies involved, making it clear that the proceedings before the high court in the dispute will continue. The Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid case remains a contentious and sensitive issue, intertwining historical, religious, and legal dimensions.
