Allahabad HC To Hear Today Gyanvapi Mosque Committee's Appeal Against Varanasi Court's Order Allowing 'Puja' In 'Vyas Tehkhana'
The Allahabad High Court will hear today an appeal moved by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee (which manages Gyanvpai mosque in Varanasi) challenging the Varanasi District Court's January 31 order allowing Hindus to perform prayers in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque (Vyas Ji ka Tehkhana).The matter was mentioned yesterday before the Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta...
The Allahabad High Court will hear today an appeal moved by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee (which manages Gyanvpai mosque in Varanasi) challenging the Varanasi District Court's January 31 order allowing Hindus to perform prayers in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque (Vyas Ji ka Tehkhana).
The matter was mentioned yesterday before the Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta by senior advocate SFA Naqvi. The ACJ had asked him to move an urgent listing plea before the Registrar Listing. Accordingly, an application had been moved before the Registrar Listing and the matter has now been listed for hearing before a bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal.
The development comes two days after the Supreme Court refused to urgently hear the Mosque Committee's plea against the order allowing puja in Vyas Ji ka Tehkhana, located at the southern cellar of the Mosque.
It may be noted that the Varanasi District Judge on January 31 directed the District Administration to make appropriate arrangements within 7 days for Hindus to conduct worshipping rituals inside one of the sealed cellars/basement/tahkhana (vyas ji ka tehkhana) inside the existing Gyanvapi mosque complex. Worship at this spot was stopped in the year 1993.
The matter relates to 'Somnath Vyas' tehkhana inside Gyanvapi Mosque premises. Until 1993, the Vyas family conducted religious ceremonies in the basement. However, in compliance with a directive from the state government, the religious practices were discontinued.
The operative part of the order reads thus:
"District Magistrate, Varanasi / receiver is directed to get puja, raga-blog performed of idols located in the southern cellar of #GyanvapiMosque (suit property), through a priest nominated by Kashi Vishwanath Trust Board & plaintiff. For this purpose, make proper arrangements of iron fencing etc. in 7 days"
Shortly after the Varanasi District Judge's order, the District Magistrate MS Rajalingam, along with other government officials, entered the mosque complex through gate number 4 of the Kashi Corridor and the officials spent around two hours inside the complex.
Thereafter, the basement/tehkhana was unlocked, and regular worship commenced in the area. Devotees were observed congregating outside 'Vyas Ji ka Tahkhana.'
In its application, the mosque committee has contended that the administration was acting in 'hot haste' soon after the Varanasi Court's order to allow the pooja at night itself. The application further argues that these actions, occurring in the middle of the night, aimed to preempt any legal challenge by the mosque managing committee.