New Delhi: The Supreme Court is going to listen to a request on Monday from the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee. They are against a decision by the Allahabad High Court. This decision supported a Varanasi court’s ruling that allowed Hindu groups to do puja in the basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque.
On April 1, a group led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud will listen to the plea. This group is from the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which takes care of the Gyanvapi mosque.
The Allahabad High Court said no to the Muslim group’s plea on February 26. They wanted to challenge the district court’s order. This order said Hindus could pray in the basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque.
The decision came during a civil court case over who owns the Gyanvapi compound. The Hindu side claims their prayers were held in the mosque’s basement until 1993, stopped by the government then.
The Muslim side says they always had the mosque.
The main argument is about whether part of an old temple was destroyed during Aurangzeb’s rule. The Muslims say the mosque was there before Aurangzeb.
After the Varanasi district court’s decision on January 31, priests did prayers there on February 1. The cellar was then opened to devotees.
The Varanasi District Judge said the district administration had to set up things for Hindu rituals in the sealed cellar within a week. On February 13, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited and prayed at the cellar.
