STATE TIMES NEWS
Varanasi: The district court here Thursday heard arguments on the maintainability of a plea by five Hindu women seeking permission for daily worship of the Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex, and posted the matter for further hearing on May 30. “The Muslim side’s arguments on the maintainability of the case remained incomplete today, which they will continue on May 30 — the date fixed by the court for the next hearing,” District Government Counsel Rana Sanjeev Singh said.
The court had on Tuesday fixed May 26 for the hearing of arguments on the maintainability of the plea filed by the five Hindu women who have sought round-the-year access to pray at the Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex.
The Muslim side has argued that the plea is not maintainable as the Places of Worship Act 1991 prohibits conversion of any place of worship and mandates the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.
After the plea was filed, a lower court had ordered a videographic survey of the Gyanwapi complex, and the Hindu side claimed a ‘Shivling’ was found during the exercise.
Vishnu Jain, the advocate of the Hindu side, said Thursday, “The Shivling which was found in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex, was in custody of the Muslim side. They had first tampered with the Shivling which was clearly evident. We will raise the issue in the court.”
Jain said the Muslim side presented its side on Thursday. “We will get photos from the videography survey and the copy of the CD tomorrow (Friday),” Jain said.
Singh had earlier said the court has given one week to both Hindu and Muslim sides to file objections to the report of the court-mandated videography survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
On May 20, the Supreme Court had transferred the case from a civil judge (senior division) to a district judge, saying looking at the “complexities” and “sensitivity” of the issue, it is better if a senior judicial officer having an experience of over 25-30 years handles this case.
