MT Desk: On Wednesday, the Allahabad High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition that had requested the recognition of the Shahi Idgah Mosque site in Mathura as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, known as Krishna Janmabhoomi, and had also sought the removal of the mosque from the disputed land.
A bench composed of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Ashutosh Srivastava issued the order after the judgment had been reserved in September.
In 2020, the plea was submitted by advocate Mahek Maheshwari, who contended that several historical texts provide documentation supporting the claim that the site in question is indeed the Krishna Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
Additionally, the plea argued that the historical origins of Mathura could be dated back to the time of the Ramayana, whereas the arrival of Islam occurred much later, approximately 1,500 years ago.
The plea also contended that the Shahi Idgah does not meet the criteria of a legitimate mosque under Islamic jurisprudence because a mosque cannot be constructed on land acquired through force. In contrast, the petitioner argued that according to Hindu jurisprudence, a temple maintains its sacred status even if it lies in ruins.
Consequently, the petitioner had requested the Court to instruct the transfer of the land to the Hindu community. Additionally, the petitioner had requested the establishment of a lawful trust for the Krishna Janmabhoomi Janmasthan, with the purpose of constructing a temple on the same land.
Furthermore, the plea also sought court-monitored excavation, utilizing GPRS technology, to be conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the disputed site, which is believed to have been built over Krishna Janmasthan.
It`s worth noting that a civil suit with similar requests is already awaiting resolution in a trial court.
Earlier this year, a trial court in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court, and the Supreme Court all turned down the request from the Hindu Trust for a scientific survey of the disputed site.
