The Allahabad High Court today upheld the Varanasi Court order allowing Hindu side to offer prayer in ‘Vyas Ka Tehkhana’ in the Gyanvapi Mosque. The High Court refused to put a stay on the Varanasi court’s order and the Muslim side said that they will file a caveat in the Supreme Court against the order.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represented the Hindu side said, “Today, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed the first appeal from orders of Anjuman Intezamia wherein the order of 17th and 31st January passed by Varanasi District Court was under challenge before Allahabad High Court. The crux of the matter is that the ongoing puja in the ‘Vyas Tehkhana’ of Gyanvapi complex will continue.”
The Allahabad High Court delivered the verdict on an appeal filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC) in which the Muslim side challenged the order of Varanasi District Judge allowing Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the ‘Vyas Ka Tehkhana’ area in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal of Allahabad High Court delievered the judgement today after reserving the decision during the last hearing. 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.
Reacting to the judgement, Advocate Prabhash Pandey said that as per the order, Varanasi District Magistrate will continue as the Receiver of the ‘tehkhana’.
Advocate Hari Shankar Jain, said, “It is a decision worth welcoming. The right that Hindus have to perform puja has been maintained by the High Court. Hindus were performing puja in the Vyas Tehkhana until 1993, but they were stopped unlawfully. They (the Muslim side) can move Supreme Court, but we are also ready to oppose.”
On January 31, the Varanasi district court allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque. The court directed the Varanasi district magistrate to make arrangements within seven days for ‘puja’ to be performed by the Hindu side and a pujari (priest) nominated by Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust.