Varanasi court admits petition to allow worship of 'Shivling' in Gyanvapi mosque

The bench posted the matter for further hearing on December 2

In a significant ruling, a Varanasi court Thursday ruled that the petition seeking permission to worship the 'Shivling' allegedly found inside the Gyanvapi Mosque complex during a recent videographic survey, was "maintainable".

The petition, filed by Vishwa Vedik Sanatan Sangh president Jitendra Singh Visen's wife Kiran Singh Visen and others, also sought a ban on the entry of Muslims in the complex, handing over the entire premises to Hindus and removal of the structure over the temple.

Civil judge fast track court (senior division) Mahendra Kumar Pandey rejected objections raised by Muslim parties which had sought dismissal of the petition filed by the Hindu outfit and pleaded that the petition was concerned with the title of the mosque.

The court had reserved its ruling last month. It posted the matter for further hearing on December 2.

The Hindu lawyers had claimed that a 'Shivling' was found at a small pond during the survey after which the court had ordered to seal the place. Lawyers representing the Muslim parties, however, refuted the claim and said that what was being called a 'Shivling' was in fact a 'fountain'.

Barely a few days ago, another Varanasi district court had rejected the plea seeking carbon dating of the 'Shivling', saying that it could 'damage' the structure which would be in violation of the SC order for its safe-keeping and preservation.

Earlier, a Varanasi court had ruled that a petition filed by four Hindu women seeking the right to worship at the Shringar Gauri shrine inside the mosque complex was maintainable.

The premises had been a bone of contention between the two communities for the past several decades but there was renewed clamor to ''take back'' the Kashi Vishwanath Temple premises by the saffron outfits after the favourable decision of the apex court in the Ram Temple case.

The Hindu petitioners contended that a part of the temple had been demolished by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century. The Muslim side contended that the Mosque existed before the reign of Aurangzeb and also claimed that the same had also been mentioned in the land records.