In the midst of a heated debate over the findings of a court-mandated survey in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi Mosque issue, a similar series of circumstances is developing in UP’s Mathura, where a petition has been filed at a local court requesting instructions for a videographic assessment of the Shahi Idgah mosque, which is located close to the Krishna Janmabhoomi.
Just like the Gyanvapi Masjid survey, the petitioner has asked for a survey commissioner to oversee the videography inside the Idgah complex in order to determine “existence of Hindu artefacts and ancient religious inscriptions on the mosque premises”, reported The Indian Express.
The plea seeking an advocate commissioner to monitor the survey, similar to the Gyanvapi Masjid, was submitted a day after the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench ordered the local Mathura court last week to dispose of all petitions connected to Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Mosque within four months.
On May 12, the High Court, while issuing directions to the local Mathura court, said: “The Civil Judge (Senior Division), Mathura, is directed to decide the aforesaid applications expeditiously, preferably within a period of four months from the date a certified copy of this order is produced before him, and after giving an opportunity of hearing to the affected parties….”
Petitioner Narayani Sena national president Manish Yadav told The Indian Express: “I requested the Mathura court to appoint a senior advocate, an advocate commissioner, and get a video survey done of Shahi Idgah immediately, because there are still remains of Hindu religion inside the mosque. These are important facts, and the Opposition can remove or delete them. The court is likely to take up my application on July 1.”
So far, nine cases touching the Shahi Idgah mosque and Krishna Janmabhoomi have been filed in Mathura court. The municipal court’s decision is expected on July 1.
Ranjana Agnihotri, one of the petitioners, requested that the mosque constructed on Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi’s grounds be demolished. In her appeal, she claims that the mosque was built on Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi property in 1669-70 on orders from Aurangzeb.
