“Hand over the Gyanvapi structure to the Hindus,” says Int’l Working President of VHP Alok Kumar

New Delhi: The ASI, an official and expert body, has submitted its report to the District Judge hearing the Gyanvapi matter in Kashi. The Int’l Working President of Vishva Hindu Parishad and the senior advocate  Alok Kumar today said that the evidence collected by the ASI from the Gyanvapi structure reconfirms that the Mosque had been constructed after demolishing a magnificent temple. A part of the temple structure, particularly the western wall is the remaining part of the Hindu Temple. The report also proves that parts of the pre-existing Temple including pillars and pilasters were reused with modifications to extend the span of the mosque and in the construction of the sahan.

The Shivlinga in what was called the wazukhana leaves no doubt that the structure does not have the character of a Mosque. The discovery of the names including the Janardana, Rudra and Umeswara in the inscriptions found in the structure are the tell-tale evidence of this being a Temple, he said.

Alok Kumar also said that the evidence collected and the conclusions provided by the ASI do prove that the religious character of this place of worship existed on the 15th day of August, 1947, and as at present is of a Hindu Temple. Thus, even as per Section 4 of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, the structure should be declared as a Hindu Temple

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) therefore suggests that:

(i) The Hindus be permitted to offer Sewa Puja to the Shivlinga found in the so called Wazukhana area, and

(ii) Calls upon the Intezamia Committee to agree to respectfully shift the Gyanvapi Mosque to another appropriate place and to handover the original site of Kashi Vishvanatha to the Hindu Society.

The VHP believes that this righteous action shall be an important step towards creating amicable relations between the two prominent communities of Bharat.