Gyanvapi Mosque: Allahabad HC refuses to stay court's puja order
The Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh on Friday declined an interim stay on the Varanasi court order allowing Hindu prayers in the Gyanvapi Mosque cellar. The high court has also asked the Muslim side to amend its plea. Meanwhile, shops and parts of Muslim-dominated areas remained closed to protest the court order, on Friday. Police are on high alert in the district.
Why does this story matter?
Right-wing Hindu outfits assert that several mosques, including the Gyanvapi Mosque, were built by Muslim invaders by demolishing Hindu temples. After its formation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fomented the matter during the 1980s and 1990s, highlighting it as a reclamation project for Hindus. However, some Hindu priests allegedly rejected those claims by right-wing organizations—especially over the Gyanvapi dispute—blaming them for inciting communal tensions.
HC grants time to amend plea
The high court granted time till February 6 for the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee (AIMC), which challenged the district court order, of Gyanvapi Mosque to amend its pleadings. The matter will be heard next once this is done. The mosque committee had moved the high court within hours of the Supreme Court refusing to hear their plea against the Varanasi district court's order.
Town-wide bandh called by Muslim side
Meanwhile, the mosque committee had called for a town-wide bandh on Friday, to protest the district court's order. The impact was evident in Muslim-dominated market areas such as Dalmandi, Nai Sadak, Nadesar, and Ardal bazar, as reported by PTI. In a statement, the committee urged market closures and peaceful namaz observance, advising Muslim women to stay indoors.
Court allowed Hindu side to worship inside Gyanvapi mosque
On Wednesday, a Varanasi district court allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi Mosque. The court instructed the receiver to arrange for the Hindu side to perform puja, with a pujari nominated by the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust. A day after, the Varanasi administration allowed Hindu devotees to offer prayers in the "Vyas Ka Tehkhana."
