The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Varanasi): Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque case, has reacted to a significant court ruling from Varanasi. The court has permitted Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana’ area of the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Jain noted that there had been no formal government order previously prohibiting Hindu prayers at the site.
Jain compared this decision to the historic order of February 1, 1986, when District Judge KM Pandey ordered the opening of the locks of Ram Mandir. He described the current court’s decision as rectifying a misuse of power by a state government that had previously halted Hindu prayers at the site. The court has directed the district administration to facilitate the necessary arrangements within seven days.
Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, another lawyer for the Hindu side, confirmed that the court had mandated compliance with the order within a week. The victory for the Hindu side was visibly celebrated by the petitioners and advocates involved in the case.
Additionally, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav lauded the decision, calling it a milestone and expressing his congratulations to the court. He referenced the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report, which he believes indicated the direction of the court’s decision.
The mosque complex, containing four ‘tahkhanas’ (cellars), has one still in the possession of the Vyas family, who historically served as hereditary priests. The family had been barred from conducting prayers in the basement since 1993, following an order from the then-state government.
This court ruling marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal and cultural disputes surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque complex, with significant implications for religious practices and heritage conservation in the area.