Mathura court to hear plea over Krishna Janmabhoomi on Sept 30

Mathura civil court will hear the plea filed to 'reclaim' the entire Krishna Janmabhoomi on September 30. The petitioners have arrayed four organizations as the respondents in their plea.

Lucknow: A Mathura civil court will next hear the plea filed for the removal of a mosque allegedly built on orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1669-70 at the birthplace of Lord Sri Krishna within the 13.37-acre premises of Katra Keshav Dev temple in the holy city on September 30.

The senior division judge has called the plaintiff side for the next hearing after which they will decide on September 30 whether to admit the plea or not.

The petition filed in the court of Mathura Senior Civil Judge Chhaya Sharma on Friday has also demanded the annulment of a 1968 Mathura court ruling, ratifying a land deal reached between the Shree Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and Shahi Idgah Management Committee, perpetuating the existence of the mosque within the temple premises.

The petition was filed by Lucknow resident Ranjana Agnihotri and five others, including Delhi resident Parvesh Kumar, Rajesh Mani Tripathi of Siddharth Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Karunesh Kumar Shukla of Basti, and Shivaji Singh and Tripurari Tiwari, both of Lucknow.

The petitioners have arrayed four organizations as the respondents in their plea. They include the Sunni Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh and the Committee of Management of the Shahi Masjid Idgah.

The other two respondents are the secretaries of Shree Krishna Janambhoomi Trust, Mathura and Shree Krishna Janm Sthan Sewa Sansthan.

The petitioners made the two temple bodies as respondents arguing that they have failed to protect the interests of the deities.

(With inputs from agencies)