Security in Mathura has been beefed up amid the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha’s (ABHM) call to recite the Hanuman Chalisa at Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex-Shahi Idgah Masjid maidan in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

Police barricading has been placed at various places in Mathura this morning and vehicle checking is being done. Amid the ABHM’s call, the Mathura district administration has directed Police forces and security personnel to remain on high alert.

Earlier on Saturday, the ABHM sought permission from the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to perform Laddu Gopal’s ‘Jalabhishek’ and recital of the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Idgah on December 6.

ABHM’s request came after the district administration imposed restrictions on December 1 in the wake of the 30th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. The restrictions will remain in effect till January 28.

District Magistrate Pulkit Khare imposed the prohibitory order. It has been stated in the order that any political, social, or religious organisation, or any other gathering of five or more people, any kind of gathering, picketing, demonstration, etc. will not be allowed without permission. In the event of a violation, strict action will be taken against the person or organisation in question under Section 188 of the Code of Police Criminal Procedure

Earlier on Friday, national treasurer of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha Dinesh Sharma released a video claiming that he had written a letter with his blood to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, requesting permission to recite the Hanuman Chalisa at the complex on December 6.

He has also asserted that “if you cannot grant permission to recite the Hanuman Chalisa, then grant us permission for euthanasia because we do not want to live if we are not allowed to worship our idol.”

On December 6, 1992, the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was demolished by ‘karsewaks’. Following the demolition of the structure, more than 40 cases were registered in Ayodhya. The cases were later clubbed together.

On September 30, 2020, the special CBI court pronounced the verdict in the criminal trial and acquitted all the accused in the case.

Criticizing the trial court’s decision to acquit the accused, the appellants had contended that the trial court had committed a “mistake” by not convicting the accused even though sufficient evidence was on record.

Back in 2019, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to give five acres of suitable land to Sunni Waqf Board and at the same time make necessary arrangements for the construction of the temple by forming a trust.

A five-judge constitution bench presided by Chief Justice Gogoi and comprising Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer passed the order on a bunch of petitions against an order of the Allahabad High Court which trifurcated the site between the parties — Ramlalla Virajman, Sunni Central Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara.