Mathura:
A body of priests has condemned the filing of a petition in a Mathura court for the removal of Shahi Idgah mosque near the birthplace of Lord Krishna in the holy city. The Akhil Bhartiya Tirth Purohit Mahasabha condemned the legal move two days after a group of people filed a petition in a court here for the removal of the 17th-century mosque that they claimed was built at the birthplace of Lord Krishna within the 13-acre premises of the Katra Keshav Dev temple here.
National president Mahesh Pathak of the Akhil Bhartiya Tirth Purohit Mahasabha condemned the move saying “some outsiders” are trying to disturb the peace and tranquillity of Mathura by raising a frivolous temple-mosque issue. “There is no temple-mosque dispute in Mathura at Srikrishna Janmasthan after a compromise between both the parties in 20th century,” said Pathak.
He said there is complete harmony between both the communities and a side by side existence of both the shrines has become an example of the emotional integration. The petition filed in the court of the district’s Senior Civil Judge Chhaya Sharma on Friday has also demanded the annulment of a 1968 Mathura court ruling, ratifying a land deal reached between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and Shahi Idgah Management Committee on the mosque.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Shrikant Sharma, visiting Mathura to supervise the power infrastructure development work in the district, said in a democratic country, everyone has the right to chose and profess his faith and everyone has also the freedom of speech and expression. Asked about the filing of the petition on Lord Krishna birthplace dispute, the minister said it is true that foreign invaders tried to demolish religious places in the country.
The minister, however, added that India is a democratic country and the judiciary is supreme in a democracy. He said the government and his party, including he himself, is governed by the law.
