In a significant development in the Gyanvapi case, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed all pleas by the mosque committee challenging civil suits that aim to restore a temple at the mosque site. The court directed the Varanasi court to conclude the hearing in one of these suits, filed in 1991, within six months.
The case centers around the Gyanvapi mosque, situated near the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. The high court addressed five petitions, three from the Gyanvapi mosque committee, and two from the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board. Three petitions contested the maintainability of a suit filed in 1991 before the Varanasi court.
The 1991 suit, representing deity Adi Vishveswar Virajman, sought control of the disputed premises and permission for worship. The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee and UP Sunni Central Waqf Board argued that it violates the Places of Worship Act (Special Provisions) Act of 1991. This act prohibits altering the character of religious places as of August 15, 1947. The petitioners of the 1991 suit contended that the Gyanvapi dispute predates Independence and doesn’t fall under the Places of Worship Act. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal ruled that the 1991 suit is maintainable and not barred by the Places of Religious Worship Act, 1991.
The court stated that the mosque compound can have either a Muslim or Hindu character, and this determination cannot be made at the framing issues stage. It emphasized the suit’s impact on two major communities and directed the trial court to expedite the decision within six months.
The suit before the Varanasi court seeks the restoration of an ancient temple at the disputed site, contending that the mosque is part of the temple. This judgment is a crucial step in the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque and reflects the complexities of the case involving religious sentiments and historical claims.