AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the Varanasi court’s decision to survey the disputed structure of the Gyanvapi mosque and the Shringar Gouri temple complex there. Owaisi said that this survey violates the law and by allowing the survey and videography of the premises, the court is paving the way for anti-Muslim violence.
On Saturday 7th May 2022, Asaduddin Owaisi wrote in his tweet, “This order to survey Kashi’s Gyanvapi Masjid is an open violation of 1991 Places of Worship Act, which prohibits conversion of religious places. SC in Ayodhya judgment had said the Act protects secular features of Indian polity which is 1 of basic features of Constitution.”
This order to survey Kashi’s Gyanvapi Masjid* is open violation of 1991 Places of Worship Act, which prohibits conversion of religious places. SC in Ayodhya judgement had said the Act protects “secular features of Indian polity which is 1 of basic features of Constitution”1/2 https://t.co/ed5yyS9ieL
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) May 7, 2022
He wrote in the next tweet, “Unfortunate that the Court* is blatantly defying the SC. By this order, the Court is opening the path for the bloodshed of Rath Yatra and anti-Muslim violence of the 1980s-1990s.”
Unfortunate that the Court* is blatantly defying the SC. By this order, the Court is opening the path for the bloodshed of Rath Yatra and anti-Muslim violence of 1980s-1990s. 2/2
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) May 7, 2022
This statement by Asaduddin Owaisi came a day after the survey and videography of the premises of the disputed structure called Gyanvapi mosque along with the Shringar Gouri temple idol was done on 6th May 2022 by the court commissioner as per the order of Varanasi’s civil judge. Even while the team of lawyers entered the disputed structure of the Gyanvapi mosque, Muslims who had already gathered in the locality made a ruckus in the area by raising religious slogans. The mob was then controlled by the security personnel who were deployed in heavy numbers considering the sensitiveness of the matter.
Shri Kashi Vishwanath, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and the Gyanvapi Mosque (disputed structure) dispute is pending in Varanasi’s local courts since 1991. After the orders of the high court, that suit is transferred to the Allahabad high court. But the Shringar Gauri case is just seven months old.
On August 18, 2021, five women from Varanasi filed a suit in the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) of Varanasi along with other demands, including the demand for daily darshan puja at the Shringar Gauri Temple. The court, while admitting the plea, had not only ordered the setting up of a commission of lawyers to know the situation on the spot but also appointed an advocate commissioner. Not only that, the opposition was issued notices, as well as the next date of hearing, was fixed. But due to the court commissioner going on the back foot a couple of times, the disputed site could not be inspected.
Varanasi Civil Judge (Senior Division Fast Track) Justice Ravi Kumar Diwakar, while reiterating his earlier order of 18th August 2021, had again allowed the survey and videography proceedings to be taken up by appointing court commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra on 8th April 2022. After this, the Varanasi district administration and police, among the respondents, objected. To prevent the action, they argued that there need to be better security arrangements, and only Muslims and security persons can go inside a mosque. The court, while rejecting the plea after the hearing, continued with its earlier order and sought a report on taking action of survey and videography after Eid before May 10 and also fixed May 10 as the date of hearing.
According to the reports, the image of the goddess Shringar Gauri is located within the outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque. Following the demolition of the Babri mosque during the Ram Janambhoomi movement, regular entry of devotees was forbidden, and worshiping this deity was only permitted on the fourth day of Chaitra Navratri.
