Gyanvapi case: Allahabad HC dismisses plea challenging Hindu prayers in cellar

Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging the order permitting Hindu parties to offer puja in the 'vyas tehkhana' of the Gyanvapi complex.

The Allahabad High Court judgment was pronounced by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal. Justice Agarwal said, "After going through the entire records of the case and after considering arguments of the parties concerned, the court did not find any ground to interfere in the judgment passed by the district judge dated 17.01.2024 appointing DM, Varanasi as receiver of the property as well as the order dated 31.01.2024 by which the district court had permitted Puja in the Tehkhana".

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The Varanasi district court had on January 31 ruled that a priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque.

The mosque committee moved the court to challenge the verdict.

The mosque committee has also moved a petition in the Allahabad High Court against the district court verdict.

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"The judge dismissed the pleas that the Muslim side had filed against the District Judge's order. It means that the puja will continue as it is," Advocate Prabhash Pandey after the court's order.

Calling the court's judgment a 'big victory of Sanatana Dharma,' he added, "They (Muslim side) can go for a review of the decision. Puja will continue".

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Post the Allahabad HC verdict on Monday, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side said, "Today, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed the first appeal from orders of Anjuman Intezamia...If they go to the Supreme Court, we will file our caveat before the SC...".

"The right that Hindus have to perform puja has been maintained by the High Court. Hindus were performing puja in the Vyas Tehkhana until 1993, but they were stopped unlawfully," Advocate Hari Shankar Jain said.