In a significant turn of events in the Gyanvapi dispute case, a Varanasi court has granted permission for Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the sealed basement area of the Gyanvapi Mosque, known as ‘Vyas Ka Tehkhana.’ The court’s decision, responding to a plea by the head priest of Acharya Ved Vyas Peeth temple, permits the worship of Shringar Gauri and other deities in the mosque complex’s cellar.
The court had earlier allowed the appointment of a receiver on the priest’s plea, leading to the district magistrate taking custody of the southern cellar of the mosque on January 23. The recent order instructs the authorities to make necessary arrangements, including steel fencing, to facilitate the priest’s entry for prayers within seven days.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for February 8, providing time for the defendants, including the Anjuman Intejamia Masajid (Gyanvapi mosque management committee), to file their objections.
The legal proceedings have heightened tensions, with the Muslim side expressing displeasure over the decision. The Anjuman Arrangements Masjid Committee has announced a Banaras bandh (shutdown) in protest, leading to increased security measures in the Gyanvapi area, with heavy police deployment to monitor the situation.
The Muslim side has approached the High Court regarding worship in the Vyas basement, seeking an early hearing on the matter. The Anjuman Intejamia Mosque Committee reportedly disagrees with allowing Hindu devotees to worship in the basement, further escalating tensions in the region.
