Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute: SC to hear on April 8 plea of mosque committee against adding ASI, Centre in suits

A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan said the application and pending pleas will be heard on April 8.

The mosque committee has challenged the March 5 order of the Allahabad High Court, which allowed the other parties amendment application to implead the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Union of India as parties to the suit.

Earlier, the mosque committee had also challenged the Allahabad High Court's upholding the maintainability of suits filed by Hindu worshippers and the deity seeking the removal of the mosque while claiming that the site was originally a temple situated at the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

On January 16, 2024, the top court on plea of mosque committee put a stay on the operation of the December 14, 2023, order of the Allahabad High Court that allowed a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque complex, adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, in Mathura.

The High Court allowed the survey of complex and agreed to the appointment of a court commissioner to oversee it.

The disputed site holds significant religious importance for Hindus, as the Hindu litigants claimed the premises hold signs suggesting that a temple once existed at the site.

The controversy is related to Shahi Eidgah mosque at Mathura, which is alleged to have been built after demolishing the temple at the birthplace of Lord Krishna on the orders of then Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.

The civil suit was filed on behalf of a Hindu deity, Bhagwan Shri Krishna Virajman, claiming that the mosque was built on a part of the 13.37-acre land of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust and sought its removal from its current site.

Notably,18 suits have been filed, seeking the removal of the Shahi Eidgah situated at the "birthplace of Lord Krishna." (ANI)