Varanasi District Administration on February 1 ensured compliance of Varanasi Court order, allowing Hindu devotees to worship inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex Barricades of Vyas Ka Tehkhana (basement) of the mosque were opened, and pooja was performed early in the morning.
The developments come at a time when the Muslim side said it will move approach the Allahabad High Court to challenge the Varanasi Court’s decision. Muslim side lawyer Akhlaq Ahmed said, “We will approach the Allahabad High Court against the decision. The order has overlooked the Advocate Commissioner report of 2022, ASI’s report, and the decision of 1937, which was in our favour. Hindu side has not placed any evidence that prayers were held before 1993. There is no such idol in the place.”
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Advocate Merajuddin Siddiqui said he would go to higher courts regarding this order.
“I will not accept any such order. The District Magistrate and the District President are both working hand in glove. We will fight it legally. This is happening to get political advantage. The same approach is being adopted, which was done in the Babri Masjid case. Commissioner’s report and ASI’s report earlier said that nothing was inside. We are very unhappy with the decision,” Merajuddin Siddiqui said.
He further said that there is no evidence that prayers were held before 1993.
Varanasi court on Wednesday allowed Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana’ area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex. The court has asked the district administration to make the necessary arrangements in the next seven days.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, told ANI, “Puja will start within seven days. Everyone will have the right to perform Puja.”
“Hindu side is allowed to offer prayers at ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana’. The District Administration will have to make arrangements within 7 days,” Jain said.
The mosque has four ‘tahkhanas’ (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there. Vyas had petitioned that, as hereditary pujari, he be allowed to enter the tahkhana and resume pooja.
(With inputs from ANI)
