In a recent development, the Allahabad High Court has rejected an interim stay on the Varanasi district court’s decision permitting Hindu prayers in the Gyanvapi mosque cellar, also known as Vyas Tehkhana. The court has directed the Muslim side, represented by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee (AIMC), to amend its plea and granted time until February 6 for the same. The AIMC had challenged the district court’s order allowing Hindu prayers in the mosque’s southern cellar.
The Allahabad High Court’s decision came after the Supreme Court refused to hear the AIMC’s plea and directed them to approach the high court. The Varanasi district court’s ruling on Wednesday allowed a priest to perform prayers before idols in the Gyanvapi mosque’s cellar.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal, presiding over the Allahabad High Court, passed the order while considering the AIMC’s appeal. The committee is responsible for overseeing the affairs of the Gyanvapi mosque. The court has instructed the AIMC to amend its pleadings to incorporate a challenge to a January 17 order, a consequence of which the January 31 order was issued. The case will be heard once the necessary amendments are made.
The Varanasi district witnessed a bandh on Friday in response to the court order, with shops and parts of Muslim-dominated areas remaining closed. A high alert was sounded in the district ahead of Friday namaz, and additional police forces were mobilized to maintain peace. The AIMC had called for the bandh and urged people to offer namaz peacefully while advising Muslim women to stay at home.
The Gyanvapi mosque complex has been a subject of legal dispute, and the recent court orders have stirred tensions. The Allahabad High Court’s decision not to grant an interim stay adds to the ongoing legal and communal discourse surrounding the site.
Discover more from The Doon Mozaic
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
