Debangana Ray
Published on July 5, 2022 at 18:52 IST
The Varanasi District Court on Monday heard arguments on the maintainability of the plea filed by five Hindu women seeking permission to worship the Srinagar Gauri Sthal within the Kashi Vishwanath -Gyanwapi Masjid complex.
Previously, claims were made by the Hindus that a structure, similar to a Shivling has been found inside the Mosque complex. The Masjid committee refuted the claims stating that it was a fountain and not a Shivling.
Advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the Hindu side stated that, “Muslim side has given its arguments, the date for the next hearing is July 12 keeping in mind everyone’s convenience. Muslim side to keep its arguments on law-point in front of the court then.”
The hearing in the Gyanvapi Case has been adjourned till July 12 after the counsel representing the Muslims presented 51 arguments during the hearing on July 4.
On May 20, The Supreme Court transferred the case from a civil judge to a district judge with an experience of over 25-30 years citing the reasons to be the complexities and sensitivity of the issue.
The bench also stated that no restrictions should be placed on Muslims from offering Namaz at the mosque premises.
A petition was filed before the Supreme court by the Mosque Management Committee, which challenged the civil judge’s orders.
The order permitted the inspection, survey, and videography of the mosque’s complex to collect evidence about the alleged presence of idols of Hindu deities inside the mosque, which is adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
After the survey, the lawyers representing the Hindu side claimed that a shivling was found at the mosque premises.
They filed an application for the protection of the shivling, where upon the civil judge directed the district magistrate, Varanasi, to seal the area where the shivling was sighted.
It also directed the deployment of the CRPF to protect the sealed area and prohibited people from entering it.