Following the instructions of the District Court, the Varanasi administration gave permission for worship in ‘Vyas Ji Ka Tahkhana’ in the southern part of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex on the morning of Thursday, February 1. This action follows a recent court order, which has upheld the right to perform religious rituals at the historic site. Immediately after the demolition of Babri Masjid, it was sealed on the orders of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. After 30 years, a priest performed the puja at around 3 in the morning, followed by aarti.
Puja took place amidst tight security
Before the puja began, Varanasi District Magistrate, S Rajalingam, and Police Commissioner, Ashok Mutha Jain, called a meeting around midnight. This meeting which lasted for about two hours was called in a hall of Kashi Vishwanath Dham complex.
After deliberations, the district administration took steps to facilitate the implementation of the court’s decision. A path was cleared within the barricades to allow easy access to the southern basement, thereby ensuring the observance of puja rituals in the southern basement.
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Rajalingam said that the barricading has been removed and the court order has been followed.
Excited devotees were seen expressing their happiness after offering prayers in the Gyanvapi Mosque premises. One of the devotees who came out of the complex after offering prayers told ANI, “We saw the Nandi bull. We have been waiting since yesterday to do the puja. The temple should be built. We are very happy after doing the puja.”
Let us tell you that there are four ‘cellars’ in the basement of the mosque complex and the Vyas family claims to be in possession of one of them. Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas had filed a petition that as a hereditary priest he should be allowed to enter the crypt and resume worship.
What did the lawyer of Anjuman Itejamia Masajid Committee say?
However, Anjuman Itejamia Masajid Committee’s lawyer Akhlaq Ahmed refuted the claims and said, “The Vyas family never performed puja in the basement. There was no statue in the basement. It is wrong to say that the basement was in the possession of the Vyas family. The basement is in the possession of Anjuman Itejamia Masjid Committee.”
“Violation of Places of Worship Act”- Asaduddin Owaisi
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said the Varanasi court’s decision to allow Hindu devotees to offer prayers at the ‘Vyas Ka Tahkhana’ area inside the Gyanvapi Masjid complex is a violation of the Places of Worship Act.
Asaduddin Owaisi said, “The judge who gave the verdict was on his last day before retirement. The judge appointed the District Magistrate as receiver on January 17 and finally he pronounced the verdict directly. He himself said that no Namaz had been offered since 1993. It’s been 30 years. How did they know there was an idol inside? This is a violation of the Places of Worship Act.”
