Agra (Uttar Pradesh): A local court in Uttar Pradesh's Agra is likely to hear two pleas on Thursday seeking to “dig out Lord Krishna idol buried under the staircase” of the Jama Masjid Agra by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
The two pleas are pending in the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division). In the first case, the plaintiff is Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sanrakshit Seva Trust and the defendants are Intezamia Committee Shahi Masjid and Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board and others. In the second case, the plaintiff is Yogeshwar Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sangh Trust and the defendants are Intezamia Committee Masjid, Central Sunni Central Waqf Board, Local Islamia Committee, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and others. Both the pleas have demanded ASI survey of the mosque to "dig out the Lord Krishna idol buried under the stairs" of the mosque.
Application for GPR survey: Advocate Vinod Kumar Shukla representing the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sanrakshit Seva Trust said that the application for conducting GPR survey of the stairs of Jama Masjid is still pending in the court. The defendant Archaeological Survey of India ASI has filed its objection in the court. On the other hand, the petition of the defendant Intezamia Committee Shahi Masjid and Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board stating that the hearing of Jama Masjid was outside the jurisdiction of the court has been rejected by the court.
Advocate Ajay Pratap Singh representing the Yogeshwar Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sangh Trust said that the mosque management committee had filed the objection during the last hearing in the Small Causes Court held on 30 September.
According to senior historian Rajkishore 'Raje', Mughal emperor Shahjahan had 14 children including Mehrunnisa Begum, Jahanara, Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Roshanara, Aurangzeb, Umaid Baksh, Suraiya Bano Begum, Murad Lutfullah, Daulat Afza and Gauhara Begum. Of them, Jahanara was the most loved daughter of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan. She built the Jama Masjid between 1643 and 1648 from her stipend of Rs 5 lakh.
The Hindu plaintiffs in the case claim that Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb demolished Keshavdev Temple of Mathura and buried all the relics along with the idols of Keshavdev Temple under the stairs of the Jama Masjid.
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