In a recent development in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case, the Varanasi district court has ordered the consolidation and joint hearing of all seven related cases. Rakhi Singh, the main plaintiff seeking the right to daily worship inside the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi, has written to President Droupadi Murmu, accusing her fellow plaintiffs and their lawyers of spreading false propaganda against her. She further revealed that the mental pressure caused by the situation has led her to consider euthanasia.
The case was initiated by Rakhi Singh and four other Hindu women plaintiffs, who filed a petition in August 2021 requesting the right to perform daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal within the Gyanvapi mosque complex. However, Singh alleges that her associates, including advocate Harishankar Jain and his son advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, engaged in a smear campaign against her and her family in May 2022. Singh clarified that neither she nor her uncle, Jitendra Singh Visen, issued any statements regarding withdrawing the case, contrary to the false rumors being spread.
Singh expressed distress over the confusion created within the Hindu society and the mental pressure inflicted on her and the Visen family. She requested permission for euthanasia to escape the immense pain and agony, seeking ultimate peace through eternal sleep. Singh has set a deadline of June 9, 2023, for a response from President Droupadi Murmu, after which she claims she will make her own decision.
This is not the first time that Singh has voiced her grievances against the other plaintiffs. In September 2022, she opposed a petition for carbon dating of a disputed structure found within the Gyanvapi mosque. The Hindu side argues that it is a shivling (a representation of Lord Shiva), while the Muslim side claims it is part of an ablution tank.
Senior advocate Harishankar Jain, representing the Hindu women plaintiffs, dismissed the allegations, stating that they are fully dedicated to contesting the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case and others. He deemed the accusations baseless and chose not to react to them. Similarly, another plaintiff, Rekha Pathak, labeled Singh’s allegations as false and reaffirmed their commitment to the case.
On May 23, the Varanasi district court issued an order to consolidate all seven related cases, with the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case serving as the lead case. However, on June 4, Jitendra Singh Visen announced his family’s decision to withdraw from all cases concerning the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi due to alleged harassment and a lack of resources.
Overall, the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case continues to be a subject of contention and division, as the main plaintiff alleges false propaganda and mental pressure while contemplating euthanasia.
