PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday allowed a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah premises adjoining the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, an important milestone in the temple-mosque dispute in Mathura.
The court agreed to the appointment of an advocate commissioner to oversee the survey of the mosque, which the petitioners claim holds signs suggesting that it was a Hindu temple once.
“If the application for appointment of commission is allowed by this court, the rights of the defendants would not be prejudiced in any way,” Justice Mayank Kumar Jain said in his 30-page order.
“So far as the modalities and composition is concerned, this court feels it proper to hear the learned counsel for the parties for such purposes,” Justice Jain said, posting the matter for further hearing to December 18. The order on the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah issue is the second temple-mosque dispute in which the high court has given its nod to a survey over the past months. The Archeological Survey of India recently completed a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque next to Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple, but has sought more time from a local court to submit its report.
According to advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, a lotus-shaped pillar characteristic of Hindu temples exists on the mosque premises, and an image of Hindu deity ‘Sheshnag’ is also present. It was also submitted that Hindu symbols and engravings were visible at the base of the pillar. In May, the HC transferred to itself all cases related to the Mathura dispute.