'Banaras bandh' over Gyanvapi row: Shops remain shut in Muslim-dominated areas

The Allahabad High Court on Friday refused to stay order allowing 'puja' at the 'tehkhana' of the mosque complex.

Lucknow: The 'Banaras bandh' call given by the Anjuman Intezamia Committee in protest against 'puja' in 'Vyasji ka Tehkhana' (basement) of the Mosque after a court order, on Friday evoked a mixed response with the shops and business establishments remaining closed in the Muslim-dominated areas while those remained open in other localities in the city. Anjuman Intezamia Committee used to look after the contentious Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi.

Keeping in view the 'bandh' call and Friday prayers at Gyanvapi, elaborate security arrangements were made in the temple town with security personnel being deployed in strength at all sensitive places. Drones were also pressed into service to keep an eye on the situation from above.

A record number of Muslims turned up at the Gyanvapi Mosque for special prayers on Friday. According to the sources, the security personnel had to ask the Muslims to go to some other mosque for offering prayers after the Gyanvapi Mosque was filled to its capacity.

Sources said that around 2,000 people offered prayers in the Gyanvapi Mosque on Friday.

The Allahabad High Court on Friday refused to stay order allowing 'puja' at the 'tehkhana', which started on Wednesday night after a district court allowed a plea for restoration of worshipping rights there.

The court, which heard a petition by the Gyanvapi Mosque Committee seeking to challenge the district court's order, posted the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.

During the hearing, the lawyer for the Hindu side, which had filed a caveat in the court seeking that it be heard by the court before passing any order on the Muslim side's petition, opposed the petition and questioned its maintainability.

The district court had allowed worshipping in the Mosque's basement and directed the district magistrate of Varanasi to make necessary arrangements in this regard within a week's time. 'Puja', however, began at the 'basement' at midnight on Wednesday, barely a few hours after the district court's order.