The order of a civil court in Varanasi on Thursday to allow survey of a mosque near the Kashi Vishwanath temple is evoking criticism. Muslim petitioners had opposed survey work at the Gyanvapi mosque and have indicated they would appeal against the civil court's decision.
The survey had been ordered on a plea by some Hindus for permission to perform daily worship of deities Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman and Nandi, whose idols are located on the outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday described the verdict as a “blatant” violation of the Places of Worship Act of 1991. This legislation provides for maintaining religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947 (with exemption for litigation on the Ram Janmabhumi issue).
Owaisi told ANI the Gyanvapi verdict is also a violation of the “Supreme Court judgment given in the Babri Masjid title dispute”. He argued “This is a blatant violation and I hope that the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and the Masjid committee would go to the Supreme Court. I have lost one Babri Masjid and I don't want to lose another masjid.”
Owaisi demanded that the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh initiate criminal action against those who try to change the nature of religious places as they stood on August 15, 1947.
