Gyanvapi case hearing in Varanasi district court today; petitions by Hindu & Muslim sides

New Delhi: After the Supreme Court handed over Gyanvapi mosque case to the District Judge Varanasi on Friday, the fresh hearing on the disputed structure is set to begin soon. The Court of district judge Ajay Kumar Vishvesha will hear 3 petitions today, a leading portal said.

There has been a raging debate across the nation over the findings of videography survey inside & outside the mosque complex. Hindu side claims that the temple was demolished by Mughal invaders in 16th century and a mosque was raised in its place. Muslim side has refused to accept and cited Places of Worship Act 1991, which puts a bar on conversion of religious character of any places of worship.

Among the main petitions filed by Hindu side includes:

# Seeking permission for daily worship of Shringar Gauri in the Gyanvapi complex

# Seeking court’s nod for worshiping of ‘Shivling’ found inside the wazukhana of mosque

The Muslim side, besides contesting claims of Shivling inside mosque, has filed petition in the court and sought permission for access of Wazukhana. Currently, the area remains sealed as per earlier directive of the court. Another petition by the Muslim court is about Gyanvapi survey, as it claims that it was violation of the Places of Worship Act 1991.

Meanwhile, the court may also take cognizance of the leakage of survey report to media. The survey report was submitted to Varanasi court after three-day survey of the mosque complex.

The claims & counter-claims over Gyanvapi mosque began after fiveHindu women knocked the doors of court seeking permission for routinely paying obeisance to Goddess Shringar Gauri, rather than once a year as it is allowed now. Many pictures of the ancient tongs, Hindu motifs on the walls of mosque, also floated on social media which enforced claims of Hindu side.