Mathura Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Case:The Hindu side has received a blow from the Supreme Court regarding the Shahi Masjid (disputed complex) case in Mathura. The Supreme Court has stayed the Allahabad High Court’s order for Idgah Masjid survey. The court said that the hearing in these cases will continue in the High Court but there will be an interim stay on the appointment of the court commissioner for the survey.
Earlier, on 14 December 2023, Allahabad High Court had approved the survey at the disputed site of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah Mosque and had ordered to conduct the survey through the Advocate Commissioner, which has now been banned by the Supreme Court. The Hindu side claims that there was a temple of Lord Krishna at this place, during the Mughal period it was demolished and a mosque was built here. This dispute is 350 years old.
What is the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah dispute
This entire dispute is about the ownership rights of 13.37 acres of land. There is Shri Krishna temple in 11 acres of this land. And 2.37 acres is near Shahi Idgah Mosque. The Hindu side claims this place as the birthplace of Shri Krishna.
The beginning of this entire controversy is 350 years old when Aurangzeb was ruling the throne of Delhi. In 1670, Aurangzeb had ordered the demolition of Shri Krishna’s birthplace in Mathura, after which the Shahi Idgah Mosque was built here. Italian traveler Nicholas Manucci has mentioned in his article that the birthplace of Shri Krishna was destroyed in the month of Ramadan.
Marathas took back the land
After the construction of the mosque, this land went into the hands of Muslims and entry of Hindus was prohibited here for about 100 years. There was a Mughal-Maratha war of 1770, in which the Marathas won and the temple was built. Its name used to be Keshavdev Temple. Meanwhile, the temple suffered damage due to the earthquake. In 1815, the British auctioned the land, which the King of Kashi bought, but he could not build the temple. This land remained vacant, Muslims claimed that the land belonged to them.Â
Shri Krishna Janmasthan Trust was formed in 1951
In 1944, this land was purchased by famous industrialist Jugal Kishore Birla. The deal was made with the heirs of Raja Patnimal. During this period, the country became independent and in 1951, Shri Krishna Janmasthan Trust was formed to which this land was given.
In the year 1953, construction of the temple was started on the land with the money of the trust, which was completed in 1958. In 1958, a new organization was formed, named Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan. This same organization made an agreement with the Muslim side in 1968. It was said that both temple and mosque will remain on the land. The point to be noted here is that Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan had entered into this agreement. This organization has no legal claim on the birthplace. Shri Krishna Janmasthan Trust says that it does not accept this agreement.
In 2022, the civil judge ordered a survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque through Amin. Now the Hindu side has demanded the removal of the mosque, while the Muslim side argues under the Places of Worship Act.
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- Formation and Construction (1951-1958):
- In 1951, Shri Krishna Janmasthan Trust was established, receiving the land purchased by industrialist Jugal Kishore Birla in 1944.
- Construction of the temple began in 1953 and was completed in 1958, funded by the trust.
- Agreement and Dispute (1958-1968):
- In 1958, Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan was formed and initiated an agreement in 1968 with the Muslim side, proposing coexistence of both the temple and mosque on the land.
- The Shri Krishna Janmasthan Trust, however, disapproves of this agreement, asserting it has no legal claim to the birthplace.
- Recent Developments (2022):
- In 2022, a civil judge ordered a survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque through Amin, leading to renewed demands from the Hindu side for the mosque’s removal, while the Muslim side cites the Places of Worship Act in their defense.
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