4 August 2024: A Varanasi court briefly heard a plea from Hindu petitioners on Saturday seeking to prevent Muslims from walking on the roof of Vyasji’s basement in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 17, as per a report citing PTI.
Representatives from the Muslim side attended the hearing and are expected to present their arguments at the next session. According to the petitioners’ counsel, Madan Mohan Yadav, worship began at Vyasji’s basement on January 31 following a district court order, allowing devotees to view the idols installed there.
Yadav expressed concerns about the roof’s fragility, stating, “The roof of Vyasji’s basement is quite old and weak. Muslims walk on the roof to pray, which is not appropriate for the worship site. The basement’s roof and pillars are very fragile, and there is a risk of collapse.” Consequently, the Hindu side has requested a prohibition on walking on the roof and necessary repairs to the roof and pillars.
After hearing the concerns, District Judge Sanjeev Pandey scheduled the next hearing for August 17. This follows a January 31 order directing local administration to arrange worship rituals inside Vyasji’s basement within the Gyanvapi mosque complex. This order came shortly after the court received a report from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) indicating that a Hindu temple existed at the site before the mosque’s construction.
The court specifically allowed a priest to perform puja in the southern cellar of the mosque complex.
This ongoing dispute reflects the broader historical and religious tensions surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque site. Further developments are anticipated following the August 17 hearing.
