1. Varanasi court permits Hindu worship in sealed Gyanvapi mosque basement.
2. Devotees granted access to ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana,’ a restricted area within the mosque.
3. District administration instructed to make arrangements for the sacred ‘puja,’ and Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust to nominate a pujari.
Varanasi, Jan 31: A Varanasi court has granted permission for Hindu devotees to worship in the sealed basement of the Gyanvapi mosque. This decision allows prayers at ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana,’ a restricted area within Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque, marking a noteworthy shift in access.
The court, during its hearing, directed the district administration to facilitate necessary arrangements for the devotees’ ‘puja’ and requested the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust to nominate a pujari for the sacred ceremony.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, emphasized the historic nature of the order, likening it to the 1983 verdict by Justice KM Mohan that led to the opening of the disputed Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid premises.
Jain stated, “I see Varanasi court’s recent order as historic as the order given by Justice Krishna Mohan Pandey in 1983, who ordered the opening of locks of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.”
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Justice Krishna Mohan Pandey, a Gorakhpur resident, was the first judge whose orders led to the opening of the Ram Mandir for worship.
However, Islamic Centre of India chairperson Maulana Khalid Rasheed expressed disappointment with the court’s decision and mentioned the possibility of appealing to a higher court.
This court order follows a plea filed by four women in the Supreme Court, seeking excavation and a survey of the sealed section of the mosque.
The plea was based on an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report, suggesting the existence of a large Hindu temple before the construction of the Gyanvapi mosque.
The women argued that a proper investigation requires the ASI to undertake excavation and use scientific methods around the ‘Shivling’ to determine its nature without causing damage.
The dispute revolves around claims by Hindu activists that a temple existed at the Gyanvapi mosque site, demolished in the 17th century on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, a contention contested by the Muslim side.
The Varanasi court’s decision adds a new dimension to the ongoing legal and historical discussions surrounding the religious site
