Mathura, Oct 16 (UNI) The district judge of Mathura has admitted a civil suit demanding removal of the Shahi Eidgah Mosque near the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and has fixed November 18 as the next date of hearing.

Earlier on September 30, Civil Judge, Senior Division, Chaya Sharma had rejected the plea after hearing the petitioners saying that the civil suit did not have any merit.

But on October 12 last, District Judge Sadhna Thakur heard the arguments of the petitioners and posted the case for next hearing for today.

Ms Thukur on Friday admitted the civil suit and posted the next hearing on November 18.A group of eight lawyers had moved a civil suit in the court for removal of a Mosque, claiming that it was allegedly built on orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1669-70 at the exact birthplace of Lord Shri Krishna within the 13.37-acre premises of Katra Keshav Dev temple in the holy city.

The petition 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, perpetuating the existence of the mosque within the temple premises.

The petition was filed by Lucknow resident and lawyer Ranjana Agnihotri and seven others last month, including Delhi resident Parvesh Kumar, Rajesh Mani Tripathi of Siddharth Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Karunesh Kumar Shukla of Basti, and Shivaji Singh and Tripurari Tiwari, both of Lucknow.

Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, in a petition filed in a Mathura court, said the agreement between Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and Shahi Idgah Management Committee in 1968 is completely wrong and should be repealed.

Mr Jain said the land on which the Mosque is built, is in the name of Shri Krishna Janmasthan Trust. In such a situation, the agreement made by the Seva Sangh is wrong. "Therefore, by repealing the said agreement, a demand has been made to remove the mosque and return the temple land to it, " he demanded in the suit.

UNI MB SB 1703/1803