Gyanvapi Dispute: Allahabad HC Refuses Interim Stay On Hindu Prayers In Vyas Basement

The Allahabad high court refused an interim stay on the Varanasi court order allowing Hindu prayers in the Vyas basement of Gyanvapi mosque.

The court heard the case today and asked the Muslim side to amend its petition and come back on February 6

Source : PTI

The Allahabad high court on Friday refused an interim stay on the Varanasi court order allowing Hindu prayers in the Vyas basement of Gyanvapi mosque. The court heard the case on Friday and asked the Muslim side to amend its petition and come back on February 6.

On Wednesday night, the Supreme Court refused to urgently hear petition filed by Gyanvapi Mosque Committee against the Varanasi  court's order allowing pooja in the Vyas basement.

The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee approached the top court's registrar at 3 AM on Thursday. The registrar informed the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud at 4 AM.

The CJI however said that the mosque committee should first approach the Allahabad High Court for any relief against the Varanasi court's order. And asked the committee to approach the Allahabad High Court chief justice first.

The Varanasi District court on Wednesday allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the Vyas family's basement in the disputed Gyanavapi mosque. Somnath Vyas's family still has possession of one basement at Gyanvapi. 

The Hindu side had pleaded the district court to allow them to worship on the Vyas basement. The Vyas family used to offer prayers in the basement till 1993. It was stopped after the then state government passed the orders to stop the family from offering prayers. The rituals of prayers will be carried out under the supervision of the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust, advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain told ABP Live

The basement has many Hindu deity idols. The Vyas family now does not live in Kashi Vishwanath complex but still have possession of one of the four basements of Gyanvapi complex.

The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) in its report submitted that it can be said that there existed a large Hindu Temple prior to the construction of the Gyanvapi mosque. 

The ASI in its brief findings has said that it has concluded that there existed a temple before the mosque based on the scientific studies and observations of central chamber and main entrance of the pre-existing structure and the existing structure, western chamber and western hall; reuse of pillars and plaster of pre-existing structure in existing structure; Arabic and persian inscription on the loose stone, sculptural remains in cellars, etc. 

Both the Allahabad High Court and Varanasi District Court had ordered the ASI to conduct the scientific survey in the disputed Gyanvapi mosque case.