Now Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust set up in Mathura

MATHURA: With the ‘bhumi pujan’ clearing the way for the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Nirman Nyas has now been set up in Mathura with 80 saints from 14 states as part of it.

Acharya Devmurari Bapu, who heads the trust, said, “We got the Nyas registered on July 23 on the occasion of ‘Haryali Teej’ and there are 11 saints from Vrindavan who are part of the trust.” The Acharya further said that a signature campaign will soon be launched to connect other saints and seers for the ‘liberation’ of the Krishna Janmabhoomi.

“After the signature campaign, we will launch a nationwide movement on the issue. We had started the campaign in February, but we did not proceed further due to the lockdown,” he said. The main dispute for the Krishna Janmabhoomi is the Shahi Idgah which is located adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura.

The Trust is already laying claim to the four-and-a-half-acre land next to the mosque to use it as a ‘Ranga Manch’ (variety hall) for religious and cultural functions organised by it and the temple authorities.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), since the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992, has been claiming that ‘liberation’ of Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura and the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi is next on its agenda. However, the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which was passed by the then Narsimha Rao government, prohibits conversion of places of worship — like churches, mosques and temples — into places of worship of a different religion.

Section 4 of the Act preserves the “religious character” of a place of worship, as it existed on August 15, 1947. It also says that any court proceeding regarding any such conversion would cease after the Act came into force. However, Section 5 of the Act specifically exempted the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, and any court proceedings concerning it.

It goes on to provide for three-year imprisonment and a fine for conversion of places of worship. The Act was passed amid severe opposition from several BJP leaders. “These are minor hurdles and we will cross the bridges when we come to them. Our resolve to liberate Krishna Janmabhoomi is firm,” the Acharya said.