Unfortunate To Call Gyanvapi A Mosque, It's Embodiment Of Lord Vishwanath, Says CM Yogi Adityanath

The Samajwadi Party criticised UP CM Yogi Adityanath's comments, saying he disrespected the court, where the case is pending.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said it is unfortunate to call Gyanvapi a mosque and called it an "embodiment of Lord Vishwanath." Speaking at the inauguration of an international seminar on "Contribution of Nath Panth in Building a Harmonious Society" at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Adityanath emphasised the spiritual importance of Kashi and Gyanvapi.

According to PTI, recalling a story about Adi Shankar's "encounter" with Lord Vishwanath in Kashi, Yogi said, "It is unfortunate that some people refer to Gyanvapi as a mosque while it is the embodiment of Lord Vishwanath himself."

The Gyanvapi issue has long been embroiled in legal disputes, with the Hindu side claiming the mosque was built on a temple’s ruins, while the Muslim side refuge this claim.

Seems CM Yogi Does Not Give Respect To Court: Samajwadi Party 

The Samajwadi Party (SP) lashed out at Adityanath’s comments, with SP spokesperson Abbas Haidar accusing the chief minister of disrespecting the court, saying, "It seems that he (Yogi Adityanath) does not give respect to the court. The matter is pending in the court. Unfortunately, the chief minister has taken the oath of the Constitution, but it seems he is not giving due respect to the court.

"For his vested political interests, he is dividing the society. The mandate given by the public to the BJP also indicates that they have not spoken on issues related to people," Haidar alleged, PTI reported.

UP BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla said, "Historic, archaeological and spiritual evidence categorically indicate that Gyanvapi is a temple."

Mahant of the Hanumangarhi temple of Ayodhya, Raju Das, said, "It is only the unfortunate people who are calling Gyanvapi a mosque. It is itself Vishwanath, and a temple of Kashi Vishwanath. Even if a blind person puts his or her hand over the structure, he or she would get a feeling of all the symbols of 'Sanatan'. We have been continuously saying that it is a temple, only the foolish people call it a mosque."

The seminar, organised with the Hindustani Academy, Prayagraj, aimed to highlight Nath Panth's role in fostering social unity. Adityanath emphasised that Indian saints have historically embraced inclusivity, noting that the Nath Panth has respected all castes and communities. On Hindi Day, he also celebrated the language as a unifying force, crediting its roots to Sanskrit and lauding the Modi government's efforts to promote Hindi.