In yet another controversy over religious structures, a court in UP has accepted the petition against Shamsi Shahi mosque in Budaun, Advocate Vivek Render said on Monday.

Vivek Render, the petitioner’s advocate, said that the petition was filed before the UP court in 2022 and added that the court has accepted that the plea is maintainable. 

“The matter is that the property in dispute was actually a temple of Neelkanth Mahadev… The petition was filed on August 8, 2022. The court has accepted the petition… The court also accepted that the application is maintainable… Our main demand is that we must be granted permission to offer prayers at Neelkanth Mahadev temple just like it was done in earlier times,” Render told news agency ANI.

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The petitioner has argued for permission to worship in the temple and claimed that he has presented solid evidence in court. 

#WATCH | Petition against Shamsi Shahi mosque in Budaun | Advocate Vivek Render says, “…This was actually a temple of Neelkanth Mahadev…The petition was filed on 08.08.2022. Court has accepted the petition…The court also accepted that the application is maintainable…Our… pic.twitter.com/8Y711LuU5X

— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2024

The Shamsi Shahi Masjid, which is built on an elevated area called Sotha Mohalla, is considered to be the highest structure in Budaun. The mosque is also believed to be the third oldest existing and seventh largest mosque in the country, with a capacity of housing 23,500 people.  

However, the management committee of the Shamsi Shahi mosque has told the court in Budaun that the petition from the Hindu outfit was not maintainable. 

The Masjid Intezamia Committee of Shamsi Shahi mosque and Waqf Board completed their arguments before the fast track court on Saturday and the court will now hear the matter on December 3. 

The development in the case of Budaun Mosque comes amid political row over the violence following a survey of the Jama Masjid Committee in Sambhal in which five people were killed and dozens of others, including cops, were injured. 

Meanwhile, there has also been a row over a court notice in a civil suit which claims that a Shiva temple exists in the dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Rajasthan’s Ajmer.