‘We are very happy…’ Vyas family member over Varanasi court order on Gyanvapi mosque

VARANASI: Responding to the Varanasi court’s order, allowing the Hindu side to perform prayers in the sealed basement of Gyanvapi mosque premises, Jitendra Nath Vyas, on Thursday said that he is happy to learn that he has got the permission to resume puja there.

Jitendra Nath Vyas is a member of the Vyas family who has been allowed to offer prayers inside the mosque located adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.

“We are very happy that we have got the permission to resume puja there,” he said.

This comes as Varanasi court on Wednesday allowed Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana’ area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

The Vyas family member said that he along with priests performed puja in the basement in the presence of district officials.

“At the time of the puja (yesterday), five priests of the (Kashi Vishwanath) temple trust, members of the Vyas family, Varanasi DM and Commissioner were present there,” he told ANI.

#WATCH | Jitendra Nath Vyas, a member of the Vyas family who has been allowed to offer prayers inside Gyanvapi mosque in UP's Varanasi, " We are very happy that we have got the permission to resume puja there. At the time of the puja (yesterday), 5 priests of the (Kashi… pic.twitter.com/IGZqaJiov1

— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2024

On Wednesday, the Varanasi court also asked the district administration to make the necessary arrangements in the next seven days.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, told ANI, “Puja will start within seven days. Everyone will have the right to perform Puja.”

“Hindu side is allowed to offer prayers at ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana’. The District Administration will have to make arrangements within 7 days,” Jain said.
Meanwhile, Muslim side lawyer Akhlaq Ahmed said that they will approach the Allahabad High Court to challenge Varanasi Court’s decision.

Akhlaq Ahmed said, “We will approach the Allahabad High Court against the decision. The order has overlooked the Advocate Commissioner report of 2022, ASI’s report, and the decision of 1937, which was in our favour. The Hindu side has not placed any evidence that prayers were held before 1993. There is no such idol in the place.”

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said that the judgement given by the Varanasi Court was a violation of the Places of Worship Act.

“The judge who gave the decision was his last day before retirement. The judge appointed the District Magistrate as receiver on January 17 and finally, he has directly given the verdict. He himself said that no prayers had been offered since 1993. It has been 30 years. How does he know there is an idol inside? This is a violation of the Places of Worship Act,” he said.

The mosque has four ‘tehkhanas’ (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there. (ANI)