Karachi, The Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, a Hindutva group, has intensified tensions in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, by demanding a survey of the historic Shahi Jamia Masjid, following a recent court order regarding the Mathura Shahi Eidgah Complex. This move has raised concerns among the Muslim community and heightened religious tensions in the area.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the demand by the Hindu group comes in the wake of the Allahabad High Court’s decision allowing a primary survey of the Mathura Shahi Eidgah Complex, adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple. This decision has been cited as a precedent for the survey of the Shahi Jamia Masjid, a situation that has been met with significant unease in the largely Muslim-dominated area.

The report details that members of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, celebrating near the mosque, heightened tensions, leading to the deployment of a substantial police force in the area. Sanjay Jat, a spokesman for the Hindu Mahasabha, has claimed that Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb buried artifacts from the Keshavdev Temple under the mosque’s stairs, a contention that has fueled the current dispute.

Efforts by authorities and community elders prevented a potential clash between the two groups. However, the Muslim community faced a setback when the Supreme Court, perceived as dominated by Hindutva interests, declined to stay the high court’s decision.

Sami Aghai, Chairman of the Bharatiya Muslim Vikas Parishad, expressed his concerns, noting that the Allahabad High Court’s decision contradicts a 1968 agreement between Hindus and Muslims. This agreement had divided the 13.37 acres of the Krishna Janmabhoomi land, allocating portions to both communities. Aghai also highlighted that the court’s decision violates the Places of Worship Act of 1991 and stated intentions to challenge it in the Supreme Court.