Muslims Should Voluntarily Hand Over Kashi and Mathura, But Hindus Must Not Raise New Demands,’ Says Former ASI Regional Director K.K. Muhammad

Former Regional Director of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), K.K. Muhammad, has advised the Muslim community to voluntarily hand over the Kashi Vishwanath–Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi and the Krishna Janmabhoomi site in Mathura to Hindus. According to him, these two places hold the same sacred value for Hindus as Mecca and Medina do for Muslims.

However, Muhammad added a stern caution for the Hindu community as well — stating that no further demands should be raised beyond Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura, as an expanding list of claims would only intensify conflict and complicate the situation.

‘Ayodhya Dispute Was Fueled by Leftist Propaganda’

In an interview given to India Today, Muhammad said the Ayodhya dispute escalated not because of facts, but due to Leftist ideological propaganda. He recalled working under renowned archaeologist Prof. B.B. Lal during the 1976 excavation at the disputed Babri Masjid site.

According to him, a particular communist historian misled the Muslim community by claiming that the excavation had produced no evidence of a pre-existing temple beneath the Babri Masjid.

“This historian was neither an archaeologist nor had he ever visited the excavation site,” Muhammad said. “He spread misinformation without any first-hand knowledge. His fabricated narrative pushed the Muslim community into a position where they felt compelled to oppose.”

Muhammad added that the overwhelming majority of Muslims were initially ready to accept temple construction at the disputed site.

‘Someone Had to Respond to the Falsehoods’

He emphasized that the false claims had to be countered, and the first rebuttal came from Prof. B.B. Lal, who had actually led the excavation and possessed full knowledge of the archaeological findings.

‘Kashi and Mathura Are Sacred, But More Demands Will Only Create Conflict’

On the current spate of temple–mosque disputes across the country, Muhammad reiterated that Ram Janmabhoomi, Kashi, and Mathura are central to Hindu belief.

“These three places are extremely sacred to the Hindu community. Muslims should voluntarily hand them over in the interest of harmony,” he said.

However, he warned Hindu groups against filing new petitions or staking fresh claims over various religious sites:

“Beyond these three, Hindus should not raise new demands. More claims will not solve anything — it will only deepen conflict and divide society.”

‘Claims on Taj Mahal Are Completely Baseless’

Muhammad dismissed claims by certain Hindu groups asserting that the Taj Mahal was once a Hindu temple.

Calling the claims historically inaccurate, he clarified that the land originally belonged to Raja Man Singh, later passed to Raja Jai Singh, and eventually transferred to Emperor Shah Jahan. Documentation proving this transfer is still available in the museums of Bikaner and Jaipur.

He termed the Taj Mahal controversy an attempt by fringe groups to “label everything as their own,” despite clear historical records.