Court rejects the Muslim side’s petition
The Varanasi District and Sessions Court Monday dismissed the petition by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee against the civil suits that challenged the title of the Gyanvapi mosque and the land surrounding it. The next hearing of the case is on September 22.
The Varanasi court upheld the maintainability of the Hindu side’s petition. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain is representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case.
Five Hindu women had filed petitions seeking the right to worship Maa Shringar Gauri on the outer wall of the mosque complex located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. While the Hindu side said that the mosque was built on the site of a temple, the Muslim side argued that the mosque was built on Wakf premises, and the Places of Worship Act barred changing the character of the mosque.
A single bench of district Judge A K Vishvesh delivering the verdict in the Gyanvapi-Shrinagar Gauri dispute case holds the case is maintainable.
Case of women plaintiffs seeking worshipping rights at Shringar Gauri and other deities in Gyanvapi mosque compound is maintainable, ordered District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesha.
Earlier this year, in August a local court in Varanasi had reserved its verdict/ order on a petition/ plea moved by the Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee which questioned the maintainability of the suit filed by five women who were from the Hindu faith. The suit sought year-long access to offer prayers at the Hindu shrine behind the western wall of the Gyanvapi Mosque complex.
On behalf of the respondents, it was contended that the original character of the temple does not change, and even today, the same is continuing. Therefore, the provisions of the Act of 1991 do not apply in the said case. The Court, after considering the contentions of the parties, stayed the proceedings before the trial court by an order dated October 13, 1998.
PGurus is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with all the latest news and views
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
