In a significant development, the Allahabad High Court has ruled in favor of five Hindu women who sought permission to worship inside Varanasi’s Gyanvapi complex, a mosque compound in close proximity to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The court dismissed a civil revision petition filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC), which challenged the maintainability of the suit brought forth by the Hindu women.
Justice JJ Munir made the decision after extensive arguments presented by both sides. The court’s ruling paves the way for the Hindu women to worship Shringar Gauri and other deities within the Gyanvapi mosque compound on a regular basis.
The lawyer representing the Hindu side, Hari Shankar Jain, expressed hope that the day would come when a grand Shiv temple would be constructed in the vicinity, eventually leading to the removal of the present structure. The dispute between the two communities revolves around the ownership and control of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, where Hindu deities’ idols are located on an outer wall.
The Masjid committee, responsible for managing the Gyanvapi mosque, had previously filed a plea in the Allahabad High Court, challenging the maintainability of the suit filed by the Hindu women. The district court had already rejected the committee’s objection to the maintainability of the plea on September 12 last year.
The district court, prior to the high court’s ruling, had ordered a videographic survey of the complex, which was completed on May 16. The survey aimed to document the current state of the disputed area and provide factual evidence for the court’s consideration. The report was subsequently submitted before the court on May 19.
According to the Hindu side, the videographic survey revealed the presence of a Shivling within the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex. However, the Muslim side contested this claim, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal battle.
This verdict by the Allahabad High Court has significant implications for the long-standing dispute over the Gyanvapi mosque complex. The court’s decision to recognize the maintainability of the Hindu women’s plea for worship rights marks a crucial step towards resolving the contentious issue. It remains to be seen how both communities and the concerned authorities will navigate the future course of action in light of this ruling.
