Gyanvapi row: Map indicating existence of Hindu deities shown to Allahabad HC

The high court was hearing a revision petition filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee challenging a Varanasi court order turning down its objections to the maintainability of the suit filed by five Hindu women who sought permission to worship Shringar Gauri and other deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the mosque.

Pic courtesy: twitter

Gyanvapi row: The counsel representing the Hindu side showed a map to the Allahabad High Court which purportedly indicated existence of Hindu deities on the disputed site in Varanasi. The map was shown to prove the existence of Hindu deities prior to demolition of a temple to build a mosque. Hari Shankar Jain, the counsel appearing for Hindu side also noted that “these deities were regularly worshipped at their respective places till the year 1993 when this practice was stopped by an order issued by the then state government.”

He also submitted before the court that at present, the people are allowed to worship once in a year only.

Jain, in his argument, said, "So, the request of Hindu devotees for permission to regularly worship Shringar Gauri and other deities in the Gyanvapi mosque complex is fully justified.

The high court was hearing a revision petition filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, that has challenged a Varanasi court order turning down its objections to the maintainability of the suit filed by five Hindu women who sought permission to worship Shringar Gauri and other deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the mosque.

As per the date fixed by the high court, the hearing of the case resumed on Wednesday.

However, after a brief hearing, Justice J J Munir directed to put up this case on December 8 for further hearing. The district judge of Varanasi had on September 12 dismissed the plea filed under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Civil Procedure Code.

While rejecting the mosque management committee's plea, the Varanasi district judge had observed that the suit of the plaintiffs (five Hindu women) is not barred by the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, The Waqf Act 1995, and the UP Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 as was being claimed by the mosque committee.

The present revision petition has been filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid before the high court challenging the September 12 order on the ground that the suit before the Varanasi court is barred under the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which provides that no suit can be filed seeking conversion of any religious place as existed on August 15, 1947.

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