Hindu group on Friday demanded a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Agra right after the prayers were held, creating a tense situation in the largely Muslim-dominated area. The demand of the groups came after the Allahabad High Court allowed a primary survey of the Shahi Idgah complex adjacent to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura.
According to police sources, a large group of people who are part of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha distributed sweets near the Jama Masjid, despite the administration’s advice to avoid such activities.
In response, a large number of personnel from various police stations were deployed in the predominantly Muslim-dominated area. There were reports that the Agra administration had been urging people to refrain from actions that could provoke sentiments.
Hindu Mahasabha national spokesman Sanjay Jat demanded a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Agra, claiming that the ‘Vigrah’ taken from the Keshavdev Temple in Mathura had been buried by Emperor Aurangzeb under the stairs of the mosque.
A potential clash between the two groups was prevented by the intervention of the authorities and the elders.
Chairman of Bharatiya Muslim Vikas Parishad, Sami Aghai, told India Today that while Muslims may have lost the legal battle at the Allahabad High Court, their faith in the impartiality of India’s legal system remains intact.
He argued that the court’s order goes against the 1968 agreement between Hindus and Muslims, which divided the 13.37 acres of land of the Krishna Janmabhoomi between them. The agreement allocated 10.9 acres to the Krishna Janmabhoomi and 2.5 acres to the Idgah.
Aghai contended that the court’s order also violates the Places of Worship Act of 1991 and it will be challenged in the Supreme Court.
