JOIN USHindu outfit claims Krishna idols 'buried' under Jama Masjid's stairs, moves court seeking excavation
Amid the ongoing legal battles over Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, a Hindu outfit has claimed that idols of Lord Krishna were 'buried' under the stairs of the historic Jama Masjid in Agra Fort, a UNESCO world heritage site in Uttar Pradesh's Agra town, about 350 kilometres from here, and has approached the court seeking excavation of the structure to 'recover' the idols.
The district court has admitted the plea, which was filed by Shrikrishna Janmabhoomi Sanrakshit Sewa Trust a few days back, and issued notices to the Intezamia, Shahi Masjid, Agra Fort, UP Central Waqf Board and others and fixed May 31 for further hearing of the matter.
The Trust, which was formed by the popular 'katha vachak' (religious preacher) Deoki Nanda Thakur, claimed in its application that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had brought the idols of Lord Krishna from Mathura after demolishing the Shrikrishna Janmabhoomi Temple and buried them under the stairs of the Jama Masjid, situated in Agra Fort.
''We want Lord Krishna's idols to be recovered from under the structure and take them back to the Shrikrishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura,'' the lawyer for the Trust said in Agra.
Thakur said that he had, during a recent religious congregation in Agra, appealed to the Masjid management to voluntarily take up the excavation and return the idols but they did not pay heed and hence the application in the court.
Agra Fort, which is a UNESCO World heritage site, is visited by a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.
A Varanasi court had recently admitted a plea seeking Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) of the entire Gyanvapi Mosque which was adjoining the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
The supreme court on Friday deferred the order of the Allahabad high court directing the ASI to conduct a scientific survey through carbon dating of the 'shivling' which was allegedly found inside the Gyanvapi Mosque during a videography last year.