'Why Look For Shivling In Every Mosque?' RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Amid Gyanvapi Row

The Hindu side has claimed that a video survey of the Gyanvapi complex found a 'shivling' at the wuzukhana of the mosque.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

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RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat touched upon the Gyanvapi mosque row on Thursday, saying Hindus and Muslims should find out a path through mutual agreement to settle the matter. Speaking at an RSS event in Nagpur, Mohan Bhagwat said the outfit had no opposition to any form of worship, ANI reported.

"The Gyanvapi matter is ongoing. Can't change history. Neither today's Hindus nor today's Muslims created it. It happened at that time. Islam came from outside via attackers. In the attacks, Devsthans were demolished to exhaust morale of those who wanted India's independence," Bhagwat said.

"We had special devotion towards some places and we spoke about them but we shouldn't bring out a new matter daily. Why should we escalate the dispute? We have devotion towards Gyanvapi and doing something as per that, it's alright. But why look for a Shivling in every masjid?" said the chief of the RSS, the BJP's ideological mentor.

The Varanasi district court is hearing arguments on the maintainability of a plea by five Hindu women seeking permission for daily worship of the Shringar Gauri Sthal within the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex. 

The Muslim side has argued that the plea was not maintainable as the Places of Worship Act, 1991, prohibited the conversion of a place of worship. The Hindu side has claimed that a video survey of the Gyanvapi complex found a 'shivling' at the wuzukhana of the mosque.

The Supreme Court has directed protection of the 'shivling' in Gyanvapi mosque without impeding the right of Muslims to offer namaz.

The RSS chief further said that decisions taken by the court should be accepted by all. "Issues raised over places in which Hindus have special devotion. Hindus don't think against Muslims. Ancestors of today's Muslims were Hindus too. It was done to keep them forever devoid of independence and suppress morale. So Hindus feel they (religious places) should be restored," ANI quoted Bhagwat as saying.

"If there are issues in mind, it will rise. It is not against anyone...Find out a path through mutual agreement...If a path does not always come out, people approach court, and if it is done then whatever the court decides should be accepted. We should abide by the decisions, considering our judicial system pious and supreme. We should not question its decisions," the RSS chief said.