Approach the High Court regarding puja in Vyasji ka Tehkhana

Supreme Court’s directive to Muslim party

New Delhi – The Muslim party had lodged a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the Varanasi District Court’s decision to allow the Hindu party to worship in the Vyas basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi. The Supreme Court directed the Muslim party to approach the Allahabad High Court regarding this permission. The upcoming hearing is scheduled for 6th February.

The petition was submitted by the Muslim party known as the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee. It said” After permission from the District Court, the administration hastily deployed security forces at the site and removed the iron fence from there. While the District Court had given a week to make the necessary arrangements for puja, there was no reason for the administration to undertake this task in hot haste in the dead of the night.” It was claimed that the reason for this haste was the administration’s attempt in collusion with the plaintiffs to prevent the Mosque Management Committee from availing of remedies against the aforementioned order.

Darshan is allowed in the basement for all devotees

Following the Court order, on the night of 31st January, the Varanasi District administration facilitated arrangements for members of the Hindu party to conduct puja in the Vyas basement of Gyanvapi. Currently, provisions have been made for all devotees to access the basement and take Darshan of the Deities. Consequently, devotees visiting the Kashi Vishwanath Temple for Darshan are also visiting the Vyas basement of Gyanvapi to take Darshan of the Deities.

Both Darshan and namaz offerings continued on Friday

Since 2nd February was a Friday, Muslims were permitted to offer namaz as usual within the Gyanvapi premises. Concurrently, arrangements were made for Hindus to take Darshan in the Vyas basement. Both activities were conducted simultaneously, with a significant Police presence deployed. However, in response to the permission granted for Hindu worship, Muslims in the area protested by closing their shops on 2nd February.

It is ‘Gyan Talgriha,’ not Vyasji ka Tehkhana 

After the puja commenced in the Vyas basement of Gyanvapi, scholars from Kashi Vidvat Parishad, along with the Saint Community of Kashi also performed the puja. Kashi Vidvat Parishad gave this basement a new name ‘Gyan Talgriha’. They remarked, “It is not a basement, now it will be known as a Gyan Talgriha.” The ‘Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti’ also endorsed this new name.

Editorial Perspective

It is a well-known fact that a Hindu temple existed at Gyanvapi before, with worship being conducted there since before the year 1993. However, despite this historical evidence, Muslims persist in asserting their claim. This underscores their unwillingness to embrace the notion that ‘all religions are equal.’ It is a point worth noting for so-called atheists and progressives.