Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said that like Lord Ram's temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, Lord Krishna Jnanabhumi will also be built in harmony and under the law. Be it Mathura, Kashi or Ayodhya, these are very sacred places for all of us. People expect that Shri Krishna's birthplace should also be developed,” Fadnavis told reporters.
“Just as the temple of Lord Ram has been built under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi under the complete legal process, in the same way, Lord Krishna Janmabhumi will also happen in harmony and under the law,” he added. Fadnavis's remarks come amid renewed demand for the construction of a Krishna temple where the Shahi Idgah mosque stands in Mathura. This site is claimed by some Hindu groups to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, a major deity in Hinduism.
Hindutva outfits claim that the Shahi Idgah mosque was built on the site of the original Kesava Deo temple, which marked the birthplace of Lord Krishna. The temple was said to have been destroyed during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century. The dispute has gained renewed attention following the resolution of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also appeared to make a pitch in the assembly for a temple where a mosque stands now in Mathura, saying that Krishna Kanhaiya wouldn't have it any other way.