Mathura, Nov 7 (PTI) Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust member Vinod Kumar Bindal on Thursday called on all claimants supporting the temple cause in the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute to join forces with the trust in a unified legal effort.
Bindal emphasised that this collaboration would streamline the legal process and strengthen the trust’s case for reclaiming the land under Eidgah which is currently in contention.
He said that multiple individual claims have unnecessarily prolonged the court proceedings despite all claimants seeking the same outcome: the nullification of the 1967-68 agreement and the reclamation of land for the temple.
“While the Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust is directly affected and has a stronger legal standing, other claimants may face opposition as they are not considered directly impacted by the historical agreement. By joining us, the opposition will have less basis to argue against the claim,” Bindal said.
The Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust has filed one of the cases, led by trustee Om Prakash Singhal, which is now progressing in the Allahabad High Court.
Bindal urged the other claimants to withdraw their individual claims and support the trust’s case to expedite the resolution.
“Otherwise, the legal process will only drag on for longer,” he warned.
Addressing misconceptions, Bindal refuted claims that the trust has been silent or inactive on the matter. He noted that while those filing claims to remove the Eidgah have not sought support from the trust, the trust is now calling on them to unite, adding strength to the cause.
He clarified that both the trust and other claimants are seeking the same outcome: the removal of the Eidgah from the site and the restoration of the original space for Lord Keshavdev.
“Our aim, like theirs, is to reinstate Lord Keshavdev to his original place on Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi. We urge them to join us,” Bindal added.
Bindal also affirmed the trust’s commitment to honouring the sentiments of millions of Sanatan Dharma followers by restoring the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi site to its historic form, where Thakurji’s deity would be placed at the original location currently occupied by the Eidgah.
He argued that uniting under the trust’s case would avoid unnecessary delays, as the trust is directly affected by this dispute and its claim is already set for hearing.
The Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute involves approximately 18 cases currently under consideration in the High Court, with 16 filed by temple supporters and two by the Eidgah side.
The contested area spans 13.37 acres, of which around 11 acres are occupied by the temple and related structures, while the remaining 2.37 acres house the Eidgah.
Temple advocates assert that the Eidgah was constructed in 1669-70 during Mughal ruler Aurangzeb’s reign following the demolition of the then-existing Keshavdev temple.
However, the Eidgah representatives deny this claim contending that no evidence supports such an assertion and argue that the claims are inadmissible under the 1991 Places of Worship Act. PTI COR KIS AS AS
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