Varanasi: The Varanasi District Court on Monday dismissed a plea of Anjuman Islamia Masjid committee challenging the maintainability of the suit filed by 5 Hindu women seeking worshipping rights in the Gyanvapi mosque compound. District Judge AK Vishvesh delivered the verdict in the Gyanvapi Shrinagar Gauri dispute case and posted the matter to further hearing on 22 September.
"The court rejected the Muslim side's petition and said the suit is maintainable. The next hearing of the case is on 22 September," said Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque case. “It's a win for the Hindu community. The next hearing is on 22 September.”
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The petition was filed by 5 women seeking permission for daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are said to be located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque, which is located close to Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Following this, a Varanasi court ordered the survey of the mosque complex and ordered a videography survey of the complex in May. The survey work was completed on 16 May and the report was presented in the court on 19 May.
After the videography survey claims were made by the Hindu side that a structure, resembling a Shivling was found in the mosque complex but the Masjid committee contested that it was a fountain and not a Shivling.
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"Several sculptures of gods and goddesses along with other structures related to Hindu belief were seen in the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi," said advocate Ajay Kumar Mishra, who was appointed commissioner by Varanasi court to survey the Gyanvapi-Gauri Shringar complex but was later removed for leaking the information.
The report by Mishra also mentioned that the three-four sculptures with Sindoor marks and 'Choukhat' like stone slab are believed to be 'Sringar Gouri'.
However, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee has said the Gyanvapi mosque is a Waqf property and has questioned the maintainability of the plea.
According to the petitioners, a self-styled Jyotirling of Lord Vishwanath in Kashi is in the mosque complex. The petitioner also claimed that in 1669, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had destroyed a portion of the Kashi Vishwanath temple and had built the Gyanvapi Mosque. The petitioner wants the court to declare that Muslims have no right to occupy the Gyanvapi mosque and their entry to be banned.
Read Also: Gyanvapi Mosque Case: Hearing deferred due to lawyers’ strike
Meanwhile, the defence lawyer said that there was no temple in the Gyanvapi complex and the mosque is standing on the site from the beginning. Notably, the Supreme Court on July 21 said that it will await the Varanasi district judge's decision on the Gyanvapi mosque committee's application. (with ANI inputs)
