Hearing starts in injunction suit filed by VVSS-backed plaintiff

Varanasi: The court of civil judge, senior division (fast-track court) started hearing in the injunction suit filed by Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh-backed social worker Prabhu Narain here on Thursday.
Prabhu Narain had filed the injunction suit before the court of civil judge, senior division Kumud Lata Tripathi on October 13, with an application demanding exemption from section 80 Civil Procedure Code (CPC) to avoid two-month wait and beginning of urgent hearing of his suit.
Giving this information, VVSS lawyer Anupam Dwivedi said that in this suit, Prabhu Narain has sought regular worship of Lord Aadi Visheshwar, Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman and other deities in the Gyanvapi compound, removal of upper construction erected illegally over the temple and restoration of the heritage of the temple.
Regarding the move to seek exemption from section 80 CPC notice, Dwivedi said, “Section 80 of the CPC provides for sending a notice to the government or a public officer if one wants to institute a suit against the government or against a public officer. As Prabhu Narain has filed the suit by making state of UP through chief secretary, district magistrate, commissioner of police defendants no. 1 to 3, the hearing of the case could start by following the procedure of issuing 80 CPC notice.”
“Prabhu Narain’s request for exemption from it was accepted by the court of civil judge (senior division) on Wednesday, after which the file was transferred to civil judge, senior division (FTC) Mahendra Prasad Pandey for a regular hearing,” said Dwivedi, mentioning that copies of the suit were given to defendant no. 1 to 3, defendant no. 4 Anjuman Intejamia Masajid (Gyanvai mosque management committees) while defendant no. 5 Sri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust was absent.
Additional district government counsel (civil) Sulabh Prakash said that a copy of the suit had been received by him on behalf of defendant no. 1 to 3 from the court. “Issuance of the next date for hearing in the case is awaited,” he added.
According to VVSS chief Jitendra Singh Visen, Ranchi (Jharkhand)-based Prabhu Narain’s suit has a scientific base apart from having historical evidence.
VVSS is also supporting Rakhi Singh, the niece of Visen who is plaintiff no. 1 in the case (no. 18/2022 Rakhi Singh vs state of UP and others) in which five Hindu women have sought right to daily worship Shringar Gauri and other deities in the Gyanvapi compound.
VVSS chief’s wife Kiran Singh is also contesting a case in 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.