We are hopeful of justice through the court,” says Pandey speaking to ThePrint outside the courtroom.īut his intervention in the matter is not limited to the legal route. Whatever mantras they speak on my God’s birthplace in their language, this should be stopped. This illegal structure should be removed. “The true owner of the land is Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust. He calls the ancient mosque an illegal encroachment and wants it demolished. Two months ago, Pandey made Mathura his base, and like dozen other petitioners, filed a case in the Mathura civil court in January claiming that the mosque is built on the original birthplace of Lord Krishna. The gradual and myriad mobilisation of trusts and sadhus here somewhat mirrors what happened in the early days of Ayodhya over three decades ago.

They’re also putting pressure on the mosque in other ways such as taking out yatras.

They’ve all filed multiple petitions in court against the Shahi Idgah mosque, and each group is fighting for credit for any action taken in the case. Since December, several other fringe groups and Hindu political parties have been competing in Mathura. Pandey, however, isn’t the only player in the rabble-rousing game here. Pandey with the members of his Trust outside the Mathura court | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint He made sure he was captured on the cameras and gave video interviews to reporters outside the courtroom - the day was a success. There was a hearing scheduled for his case but Pandey knew that the presiding judge was on leave, but he still came to court. Dressed in a crisp saffron kurta and dhoti, a saffron turban, a stole with Jai Shri Krishna embroidered on it in Hindi and a bright red tilak on his forehead, Pandey, walked into the court premises in a well-rehearsed slow stride and with his entourage of 10 men.

Fineprint