Local Muslims and the Anjuman Intejamiya Masjid (management committee of the Gyanvapi mosque) did not allow the court-appointed court commissioner Advocate Ajay Kumar to complete the inspection.
The Anjuman Intejamiya Masjid (management committee of the Gyanvapi mosque) has also moved the court with the plea for a change of court commissioner, expressing a lack of confidence in Advocate Ajay Kumar.
In another significant development, one of the petitioners in the case, Rakhi Singh, has decided to take back her case. She will move an application to this effect on Monday (May 9). She did not explain the reason for taking back the case.
A case was filed by Delhi-based Rakhi Singh, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas and Rekha Pathak on April 18 last year, demanding permission for daily worship of Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman and Nandi located on the outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque. The plea had also requested an order restraining the opponents from causing any damage to the statutes.
The court, in its order, had asked the advocate commissioner to carry out the survey of the mosque in the presence of both the parties and ensure that the whole process was video-graphed. The report was to be submitted to the court on May 10.
A civil suit was also filed in February last year by plaintiffs in a court in Varanasi “for restoration of Darshan, Pooja, Aarti, Bhog and performance of rituals at the principle seat of Asthan of Lord Adi Visheshwar and of Goddess Maa Shringar Gauri, the Ardhangni and devotee of Lord Adi Visheshwar, along with Lord Ganesh, Nandiji and other deities within the precincts of temple complex.”
In April last year, a fast-track court in Varanasi directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple – Gyanvapi mosque complex to find out whether a temple was demolished to build the mosque that stands there adjacent to the temple.
Later the Allahabad High Court had stayed the fast-track court order on September 9, 2021.
The Allahabad High Court decided on March 25 to hold a regular hearing in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple – Gyanvapi mosque title dispute case till the matter is concluded.
On May 1, the Anjuman Intejamiya Masjid said that it would not allow any non-believer to enter the mosque and would not allow the videography inside the mosque.
A team of 36 people led by the Court Commissioner had started the inspection at 3 pm on Friday (May 6). The Varanasi administration had made special arrangements to deal with any tense situation during the inspection.
“We will not allow anyone’s entry in the mosque premises for videography and survey. We are ready to face the consequences of our actions,” Anjuman Intejamiya Masjid, joint secretary SM Yasin had said.
