Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute (ANI Image)
NEW DELHI: A special Lok Adalat was held in Mathura on Saturday as part of the Supreme Court’s efforts to explore an amicable resolution in the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Mosque dispute, with only the Hindu plaintiffs attending the conciliation proceedings.The hearing was conducted before Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ-11) Surendra Prasad under the Supreme Court’s “Samadhan Samaroh-2026” initiative and in accordance with directions issued by the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority. No representative from the Muslim side was present, according to the Hindu litigants.The District Legal Services Authority said Lok Adalats are being organised across the state and district levels to examine the possibility of resolving pending disputes through mutual consent before a special Lok Adalat scheduled in the Supreme Court on August 21, 22 and 23.Advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh, one of the Hindu litigants, said both parties had been asked by the Supreme Court to appear before the Lok Adalat to explore the possibility of a settlement.He said the Hindu plaintiffs presented their arguments for around 30 minutes, while no representative from the Muslim side attended the proceedings.According to Singh, the Hindu side proposed that if the Muslim parties agreed to remove the structure from the disputed site and relinquish their claim, land at an alternative suitable location could be considered for constructing a mosque. He also argued that modern technology makes it possible to safely relocate structures.Singh said the Hindu side placed historical material before the bench in support of its claims and completed the required documentation during the proceedings. He added that if no settlement is reached at the Mathura level, the matter could be taken up during the special Lok Adalat in the Supreme Court on August 21, 22 or 23.Other Hindu litigants reiterated that if the Muslim side withdrew its claim and removed the structure from the disputed site, an alternative plot for a mosque could be considered. They maintained that the disputed site is the birthplace of Lord Krishna.District Legal Services Authority Secretary Anita Singh attended the proceedings along with the bench members and encouraged the parties to resolve the dispute through dialogue and mutual consent.Among those representing the Hindu side were advocates Hareram Tripathi, Surendra Kumar appearing for the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust, Kaushal Kishore Thakur Maharaj, Sant Shyamanand Maharaj, Ajay Singh and Vijay Bahadur Singh.
