Muslims should hand over mosque in Mathura to Hindus, says UP minister

Uttar Pradesh minister Anand Swarup Shukla has said Muslims should hand over a mosque close to a temple at the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura to Hindus, referring to it as a safed bhavan (white structure).

In provocative remarks on Monday, he said while the court had resolved the Ayodhya issue, the white structures in Varanasi and Mathura hurt Hindus.

"A time will come when the white structure in Mathura that hurts every Hindu will be removed with the help of the court, Shukla, the minister of state for parliamentary affairs, told reporters Monday evening.

Dr Ram Manohar Lohia had said that the Muslims of India would have to believe that Ram and Krishna were their ancestors and that Babar, Akbar and Aurangzeb were attackers. Do not associate yourself with any building built by them," he added.

The minister said, "The Muslim community should come forward and hand over the white structure located in the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex in Mathura to Hindus. Time will come when this work will be completed."

He said on December 6 (1992), karsewaks' had removed a blot on Ramlalla and now a grand temple is being constructed there. He was apparently referring to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya by Hindutva mobs.

Asked about the conversion of former Shia Waqf Board chairman Syed Wasim Rizvi to 'Sanatan dharma' (Hinduism), he said Muslims should follow and do "ghar wapsi" (return to Hinduism).

"All Muslims in the country are converted. If they see their history, they will find that 200-250 years ago they converted to Islam from Hinduism. We will like all of them to do 'ghar vapasi', he said, hailing Rizvi for his "courageous" step.

"This step is a challenge for Maulanas and Maulvis who live in the country and promote a Talabani mindset," Shukla said.

He said India's basic culture is of 'Hindutva' (Hinduism) and 'Bhartiyata' and they are complementary to each other.

He termed the Samajwadi Party, its founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and president Akhilesh Yadav as anti-Hindu and accused them of ordering firing on unarmed 'karsewaks' in Ayodhya.

On Sunday, BJP MP Ravindra Kushwaha had said when the Narendra Modi government can repeal the farm laws keeping in mind the protests by farmers, it can also withdraw the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 to pave way for the construction of a grand temple at Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had also offered support for a new temple in Mathura.