Gyanvapi Masjid Case: Hearing Concludes for the Day, To Continue on 12 July

The masjid committee has contended that the suit filed is barred by the Places of Worship Act.

The petitioners for the temple say that the foundation of the Gyanvapi movement was laid after the demolition of Babri Masjid. 

(Photo: The Quint)

A district court in Varanasi on Monday, 4 July resumed hearing Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee's arguments challenging the suit filed by five Hindu women seeking year-round access to perform their religious prayers at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

The previous hearing in the matter had taken place on 30 May, and the matter is slated to continue to be heard on 12 July.

“Muslim side has given its arguments, date for the next hearing is July 12 keeping in mind everyone's convenience,” advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the Hindu petitioners, told ANI.

The counsel for the masjid committee has contended that the suit seeking year-round access is barred by the Places of Worship Act (1991), which expressly prohibits conversion of any place of worship into anything different from the religious character of the place as it was on 15 August 1947 (with the exception of the Ayodhya dispute).

Meanwhile, ANI cited advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, the counsel for the Hindu petitioners as saying:

“According to them (masjid committee), the case is not maintainable, but we've said that it's maintainable...Our demand to grant worship there is legally valid."

Background

Earlier in May, details about a ‘shivling’ said to have been found during a civil judge-ordered survey, were leaked in public domain.

On 20 May, the Supreme Court had directed that the Gyanvapi mosque case be transferred from the civil judge in Varanasi to the court of the district judge Varanasi – who is "more senior and experienced" and will be better placed to address the complex issues in the matter.

Same Dispute, Another Suit...

Meanwhile, ANI reported that a civil court in Varanasi has asked the masjid committee to file a response to another suit seeking right to worship in the mosque premises, and the matter has been listed for 8 July.

The suit, reportedly filed by Lord Aadi Vishweshar Viraajman through their next friend Kiran Singh, seeks undeterred access for the Hindu worshippers in the mosque premises in the meantime, while the main case is being tried.

(With inputs from ANI.)