NEW DELHI: In a resounding victory for the Hindu side, the Supreme Court, on Friday, refused to stay the Allahabad High Court’s decision to permit the survey of the Shahi Idgah in Mathura.
The disputed land, also referred to as Krishna Janmabhoomi by the Hindus, has found itself as a bone of contention with the Muslims since 2022. In December, the former had taken the case to a lower which had admitted the case, however, the latter had then approached the HC to oppose the lower court’s judgement ruling in favour of the Hindus.
Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi case:
Now, Allahabad High Court rejected the arguments of the Shahi Idgah Masjid and approved the survey of the Shahi Idgah complex in Mathura. pic.twitter.com/tXe7Nzc79X
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) December 14, 2023
“Supreme Court has refused to stay the proceedings and the Supreme Court has fixed the matter so far as challenge to the transfer order is concerned on 9th of January. The High Court order will continue and the High Court will proceed with the matter and there is no stay by the Supreme Court,” said Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer for the Hindu side, to agencies.
On Thursday, the Allahabad HC had ruled in favour of the survey being undertaken at the mosque. It had appointed an advocate commissioner, giving an in-principle approval for surveying the Shahi Idgah. The members of the commission of advocates is slated to be decided on December 18.
The plea had come into play when a resident of Lucknow, Ranjana Agnihotri, had filed a suit claiming ownership of the disputed land, demanding the removal of the Shahi Masjid from Krishnajanmabhoomi.
Major decision in the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple case as the Allahabad High Court accepts the plea of the Hindu side. Approval granted for the ASI survey of the Shahi Eidgah premises in Mathura. Now, it’s Mathura’s turn. 🙏🚩 #Mathura #ShriKrishnaJanmabhoomi pic.twitter.com/SNuVgHdbcX
— Pratheesh Viswanath (@pratheesh_Hind) December 14, 2023
The suit filed to claim ownership of the 13.37-acre mosque land claims that it was only built after Mughal ruler Aurangzeb had demolished the Katra Keshav Dev temple at the site in the mid-1600s.
Earlier, the Muslim side had cited provisions of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which states that the religious status of any place of worship remains the same if made prior to India’s Independence, i.e., August 15, 1947.
Presently, 18 cases are pending at the Allahabad High Court regarding the Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute.