New Delhi: A Varanasi court will pronounce the verdict on the maintainability of the plea in the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri case today (September 12, 2022). District Judge AK Vishvesh had last month reserved the order till September 12 in the communally sensitive matter.
Ahead of the district court order, Section 144 has been imposed and security has been tightened in Varanasi. Police Commissioner A Satish Ganesh said on Sunday that prohibitory orders have been issued in the Varanasi commissionerate and officers have been asked to interact with religious leaders in their respective areas to ensure that peace is maintained. To maintain law and order, he said, the entire city has been divided into sectors that have been allocated police forces as per their requirement. Directives for flag march and foot march in sensitive areas have also been issued, Ganesh informed.
It is noteworthy that a petition was filed by five Hindu women seeking permission to worship the Shringar Gauri Sthal within the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi Masjid complex. The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, on the other hand, has said that the Gyanvapi mosque is a Waqf property and has questioned the maintainability of the plea.
Madan Mohan Yadav, a lawyer of the Hindu side, had said that the mosque was constructed after demolishing the temple.
Earlier, a lower court had ordered a videography survey of the complex. The survey work was completed on May 16 and the report was presented in the court on May 19.
The Hindu side had claimed in the lower court that a Shivling was found during the videography survey of the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex but it was contested by the Muslim side.
(With agency inputs)
