The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Allahabad): The Muslim community presented its opposition on Wednesday to a petition filed for permission to conduct Hindu worship rituals at ‘Krishna Koop,’ a well located within the Shahi Idgah mosque compound in Mathura. This objection was presented to the Allahabad High Court, with the request that no directive should be issued on this plea, citing the ongoing deliberation over the case’s admissibility.
The contention revolves around the Shahi Idgah mosque, which the Muslim community argues is constructed on a 13.37-acre parcel previously belonging to the Katra Keshav Deo temple. The court, after considering arguments from both parties, postponed the hearing to a later, unspecified date.
The plea in question, filed by Ashutosh Pandey under Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC), which pertains to the court’s inherent powers, revolves around the annual ‘Basoda puja’ conducted by Hindu followers at the ‘Krishna Koop.’ Pandey’s plea highlights that this ritual is traditionally observed on ‘Mata Sheetla Saptami’ and ‘Mata Sheetala Ashtami,’ which this year fall on April 1 and April 2, respectively. He alleges that the defendants are obstructing the performance of this puja.
The Muslim representatives contended that, given the ongoing hearings regarding the lawsuit’s admissibility, it’s premature to issue any orders on Pandey’s application, also arguing that the site is Waqf property and hence the plea lacks merit.
Conversely, the Hindu faction insists on the necessity of allowing Hindu devotees the freedom to worship at ‘Krishna Koop,’ arguing that the court holds the discretion to consider such applications and issue corresponding orders.
Furthermore, during the proceedings, Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, contested a motion from the Muslim party requesting the discharge of UP’s Additional Advocate General Manish Goel, who had been designated as amicus curiae in this case by a court order dated January 17. Jain argued against the notion that a government counsel is ineligible for the amicus curiae role, underscoring the legal complexities and the sensitive nature of this religious dispute.