In a significant development, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea filed by the Muslim side challenging the maintainability of several suits related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute in Mathura. This decision clears the way for the trial to proceed on the merits of the case.
The suits, filed by Hindu litigants, seek the removal of the Shahi Idgah mosque, claiming it was built on the site of a demolished Krishna temple during the Mughal era. The Muslim side, represented by the mosque management committee and the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, had argued that the suits were barred under the Places of Worship Act, 1991.
However, the court rejected this argument, paving the way for the trial to commence. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for August 12.
Reacting to the decision, Hindu side lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain expressed readiness to face any potential appeal by the Muslim side to the Supreme Court.
The dispute centers around a 13.37-acre complex in Mathura, which houses both the Katra Keshav Dev temple and the Shahi Idgah mosque. The Hindu side seeks possession of the entire complex, including the mosque’s land.
