Varanasi District Court’s decision in favour of Hindus

• Gyanvapi’s case will continue
• The Muslim party will challenge the decision in the High Court

Varanasi (UP) – A Civil Court gave its verdict on the Muslim party’s petition regarding worship at Gyanavapi-Shringar Gauri. On 12th September, the Court ordered that this case be retainable. The Court’s order said, The Places of Religious Worship Act, 1991 is not applicable here as worship has already been done at Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri. Also, it is not the property of the Waqf Board. So the case can be heard. District Judge Ajay Krishna Vishwesh gave this decision. The next hearing will be on 22^nd September. After the decision in favour of the Hindus, the Muslims will challenge it in the High Court.

#Gyanvapi case: #Varanasi court rejects Muslims’ plea, holds case ‘maintainable’; here’s what lies aheadhttps://t.co/LeUrzZFcvL

— India TV (@indiatvnews) September 12, 2022

1. Hindu Party advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain said that due to the Court’s decision, the Commissioner’s Gyanvapi survey report and the petition for performing puja will now be heard.

2. H.H. (Adv.) Hari Shankar Jain said that this is a big victory. Now a way has been paved to build a grand Shiva Temple. We will win the next battle like today.

3. Petitioner Rekha Pathak said, today, we have created history. Due to this decision, the slogans of Har Har Mahadev could be heard in Varanasi.

4. Petitioner Sohan Lal Arya said it is the victory of the Hindu party. This decision is the foundation of the Gyanvapi Temple. We are appealing to people to remain calm.

5. Vishwa Hindu Parishad working president Alok Kumar has also welcomed this decision. He said that this decision was bound to come, but the Muslim party was trying to prolong it.

6. Section 144 has been imposed in the surrounding area because of the Court’s order regarding the case, which is considered highly sensitive. The Police force presence has been stepped up in the area.

What is the case ?

On 18^th August 2021, 5 Hindu women filed a petition in the Civil Court for permission to worship Shringar Gauri in the Gyanvapi area daily. At present, only once a year, Puja is performed here. These five petitioners include Rakhi Singh from Delhi and Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas, Lakshmi Devi and Rekha Pathak from Kashi. On 26^th April 2022, the Varanasi Civil Court ordered filming and surveying of the premises of Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri to verify the Deities. A Shivlinga was found there in the survey. Muslims opposed the entire case saying it was wrong under the Places of Religious Worship Act 1991. The District Court’s order on 12^th September clarified that the Places of Religious Worship Act 1991 is not applicable here and allowed the case to proceed.