Gyanvapi Case: Rumours On Presence Of Shivling Causing Public Disturbance, Says Muslim Side

The court of district judge AK Vishevesh was hearing the maintainability of a petition filed by five Hindu women in the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Viswanath temple dispute.

New Delhi: The Muslim side on Thursday told the Varanasi district court that rumours regarding presence of a 'shivling' inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex was "resulting in public disturbance", Bar and Bench reported. The court of district judge AK Vishevesh was hearing the maintainability of a petition filed by five Hindu women in the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Viswanath temple dispute.

During the hearing, the mosque committee raised concern that the existence of a 'shivling' was only alleged and not yet proven. "Rumours are resulting in public disturbance which should not be allowed until existence is proven," the Muslim side said.

Citing the Places of Worship Act, 1991, the Muslim side referred to the Supreme Court's previous precedents. "There is no right of the parties (plaintiff) to claim the title of the mosque," the Muslim side said. The hearing will resume on May 30.

According to the Places of Worship Act, 1991, the character of a religious place cannot be altered from what it was on August 15, 1947-- the day India got its independence.

Advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the Hindu side, said the arguments would continue at 2 pm on Monday. "Today, Muslim side just read out paragraphs from our petition and tried to say that the petition isn't maintainable. We interjected and pointed out to the court that we've specific rights and all pleadings were made," ANI quoted Jain as saying.

The district court has given seven days' time to both the sides to file objections to the report of the court-mandated videography of the complex.

The Supreme Court had asked the Varanasi district court to decide on priority whether the survey at the Gyanvapi mosque and the petition that led to the survey was "maintainable" or not.

On Tuesday, the district court decided to hear the mosque committee's plea first, which challenges the maintainability of a petition filed by five Hindu women. 

The five Delhi-based women (Rakhi Singh, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu, and two others) have filed a petition seeking permission to worship daily the deities Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman and Nandi, whose idols are located on the outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque.