Varanasi: A section of people from the Muslim community on Thursday staged a protest against the Varanasi court’s order allowing puja inside Gyanvapi Mosque complex’s ‘Vyas Tehkhana’. The Muslim community protested after offering prayers at the Gyanvapi mosque. The protestorers while talking to reporters claimed that “there is no evidence that a that the Vyas family held any land inside the mosque complex.”  

Earlier today, the Masjid Intezamia Committee of Gyanvapi mosque of Varanasi filed a revision petition in Allahabad High Court against Varanasi District Court’s order allowing Hindus to perform prayers inside the southern celler of Gyanvapi mosque.

In the petition filed by the Mosque committee, they have sought a stay on Varanasi court order.

The plea stated that till now the petition regarding maintainability of the suit under Order 7, Rule 11 has not been decided. Therefore, the order to give the right to worship is not correct.

Following the Varanasi court order, Muslim side lawyer Akhlaq Ahmed said, “The order has overlooked the Advocate Commissioner report of 2022, ASI’s report, and the decision of 1937, which was in our favour. The Hindu side has not placed any evidence that prayers were held before 1993. There is no such idol in the place.”

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. Vyas had petitioned that, as a hereditary pujari, he be allowed to enter the tahkhana and resume pooja.

The ASI survey, ordered by the same court, in connection with a related case, suggested that the mosque was constructed during Aurangzeb’s rule over the remains of a Hindu temple.