Varanasi: Suit seeks right to worship deities in Gyanvapi complex

VARANASI: A Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh-backed social worker, Prabhu Narain, filed an application in the court of civil judge senior division (fast-track court) here on Thursday, seeking regular worship of deities in the Gyanvapi mosque compound.
On the other hand, Anjuman Intezamia Masajid (AIM), the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, completed its arguments in the same court while challenging the maintainability of another VVSS-backed petition that seeks ban on entry of Muslims in the Gyanvapi mosque.
Besides, handing over Gyanvapi premises to the Hindus and permitting regular ‘puja-archana’ (worshipping) of Lord Aadi Visheshwar — the ‘shivling’ claimed to have been found in ablution pond of Gyanvapi mosque during court commission survey on May 16.
Additional district government counsel (civil) Sulabh Prakash said that after hearing the application of Prabhu Narain, the court reserved its order. “On the issue of maintainability of VVSS suit seeking banning entry of Muslims in Gyanvapi and other reliefs, the FTC fixed October 15 for further hearing,” he added.
VVSS chief Jitendra Singh Visen said that social worker Prabhu Narain of Ranchi in Jharkhand “filed the suit with scientific base and historical evidences”. Anupam Dwivedi, one of the VVSS lawyers, said: “Prabhu Narain is a noted environmentalist and chairman of the Centre for Science and Indian Philosophy.” He added, “In his suit, Prabhu Narain has demanded the right for regular worshipping of Lord Aadi Visheshwar, Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman and other deities in Gyanvapi, removal of upper construction erected illegally over the temple and restoration of the heritage of the temple.”
“Reliefs sought by Prabhu Narain have similarities with other petitions already filed by the VVSS, but his scientific and historical evidence will prove impossible to be challenged by the AIM,” Dwivedi added. The VVSS had come to limelight by supporting Rakhi Singh, the niece of Visen who is plaintiff no. 1 in the case 18/2022 Rakhi Singh vs state of UP and others in which five Hindu women have sought right to worship Shringar Gauri and other deities in Gyanvapi compound.
During court commission survey ordered in this case, the plaintiffs had claimed that a ‘shivling’ was found in the ablution pond of Gyanvapi mosque on May 16. Later, the court had rejected AIM’s application challenging the maintainability of case no. 18/ 2022 and regular hearing was started in the matter.
After the end of court commission survey, the VVSS chief had got his wife Kiran Singh file the suit before the court of civil judge senior division (FTC), seeking ban on entry of Muslims in Gyanvapi mosque, handing over Gyanvapi premises to the Hindus and permitting regular ‘puja-archana’ (worshipping) of Lord Aadi Visheshwar, the ‘shivling’ claimed to have been found in the ablution pond of Gyanvapi mosque.