The hearing in the maintainability petition of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi, was adjourned by the Varanasi district court on Thursday until May 30.
The committee was requesting that the Hindu petitioners’ suit for unrestricted right to worship at the Shringar Gauri sthal inside the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex be dismissed due to claims that a Shivling had been discovered on the premises. Only petitioners, lawyers, and defendants were allowed inside the courtroom during the hearing. The hearing, which began at 2:00 p.m. and lasted about two hours, began at 2:00 p.m.
The Masjid committee argued that the Hindu side’s lawsuit was unmaintainable and should be dismissed under the Code of Civil Procedure’s Order 7 Rule 11. (CPC).
It said rumours were being spread about the ‘Shivaling’ to invoke the sentiments of people.
One of the Muslim side’s advocates, Abhay Nath Yadav, presented several arguments in favour of dismissing the case. The videography report of the court-appointed survey commission was received by both sides.
“Today, the Muslim side just read out paragraphs from our petition and tried to say that the petition is not maintainable,” said Hindu women’s advocate Vishnu Jain. We intervened and reminded the court that we have specific rights and that all pleadings had been filed:
Two uninvited guests were escorted out of the courtroom by police. On the district Judge’s orders, one advocate was also reportedly removed from the courtroom.
The district court was hearing the case after the Supreme Court stated that the case should be heard by a more mature and experienced judge. The Supreme Court ordered that a priority decision be made over the Muslim committee’s application challenging the suit’s maintainability.
Five Hindu women – have claimed that an image of the Hindu deity Shringar Gauri exists at the mosque and have sought permission to offer daily prayers there.
The district court said it would hear the Muslim side’s plea and decide whether the Hindu parties’ suit, which resulted in a survey of the mosque, could be heard at all during its last hearing on Tuesday.
The Hindu side’s request for a hearing on a contentious survey of the complex will be heard later.