The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a plea from the Shahi Eidgah Masjid Committee challenging the maintainability of lawsuits filed by Hindu groups. The contentious legal battle centers around the site believed by some to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, currently occupied by the Shahi Eidgah Mosque.
Previously, a civil court had dismissed the suit, citing the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, which bars changes to the status of religious sites as they were on Independence Day. However, this decision was overturned on appeal at the Mathura District Court. The latest ruling by Justice Mayank Kumar Jain maintains that all 18 suits filed by Hindu parties are valid, allowing the case to proceed.
The UP Sunni Central Waqf Board argued that the lawsuits were not permissible under the Places of Worship Act, as well as the Limitation Act of 1963 and the Specific Relief Act of 1963. Nevertheless, the High Court dismissed these arguments, allowing the legal proceedings to continue. The case is now scheduled for a hearing on August 12, 2024.
This development adds another layer to the complex legal and cultural dispute over the site, highlighting the ongoing tension between preserving religious heritage and contemporary claims.
