On Mathura mosque survey, Owaisi says ‘robbing Muslims of dignity only goal’
Reacting to Allahabad High Court’s decision to allow survey of Mathura’s Shahi Idgah complex, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that “robbing Muslims of their dignity is the only goal now”.
In a long post on X, Owaisi said, “Please don’t preach “give and take” when one side is interested in constantly targeting Muslims. But the law doesn’t matter anymore. Robbing Muslims of their dignity is the only goal now.”
“After Babri Masjid judgment, I’d said that it’ll embolden Sangh Parivar’s mischiefs. This is despite Places of Worship Act prohibiting such litigation,” Owaisi said.
Alleging that a new group is “raking these disputes”, the AIMIM chief said, “The Mathura dispute was settled decades ago by mutual consent between Masjid Committee and the temple’s Trust.”
The Allahabad High Court on Thursday allowed the primary survey of the Shahi Idgah complex adjacent to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura by a court-monitored three-member team of advocate commissioners.
The modalities of the survey will be decided on December 18, when the court resumes the hearing.
“Whether it is Kashi, Mathura or Lucknow’s Tiley Wali Masjid, it’s the same group. One can read the agreement here, which was settled before a court of law,” Owaisi said in the post.
“The Places of Worship Act is still the law in force. But this group has made a mockery of the law and the judicial process. The SC was supposed to hear this matter on January 9, so what was the hurry that a survey had to be ordered?” he further said.
Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) welcomed the Allahabad High Court’s decision.
“In a significant order the Allahabad high court has allowed that there shall be a scientific survey of the place of Shri Krishna Janm Bhoomi. We believe that the Krishna Janm Bhoomi is at the place where the Eidgah is. I believe that both parties in the litigation shall help in arriving the truth. And therefore I don’t understand why the other side was opposing this,” said Alok Kumar, working president, Vishwa Hindi Parishad (VHP).
“What has they to conceal. Anyway since the order has been passed, we trust and believe that there shall be an honest and impartial survey of the place and the survey finding will prove that the Shahi Eidgah was constructed after demolishing and on the ruins of Shri Krishna Temple. It will further prove that the structure has many Hindu Mandir symbolism in it and therefore we will be able to prove that the charecter of this place is that of a temple,” he added.
The Hindu side claims that the Idgah mosque was constructed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb by demolishing a temple on 13.37 acres of Lord Krishna’s birthplace. This original suit is pending before the High Court.
As many as 17 suits are pending in the High Court, with the main pleas seeking a declaration that the land under dispute –where the Shahi Eidgah Mosque is situated–vests in the deity Lord Shri Krishna Virajman. Additionally, they seek a direction for the defendant to remove the mosque.
