Hyderabad, Feb. 3: MANUU Students Union has strongly condemned the recent judgment by the Varanasi District Court allowing Hindu prayer inside the basement of Gyanvapi Masjid. The decision, made on the last day of the district judge’s tenure, has sparked serious concerns regarding the adherence to the rule of law and principles of justice.
MANUU-SU President Mateen Ashraf, in a statement, said the ruling blatantly disregards explicit provisions of Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which strictly prohibits any alteration of religious worship places. The Union has accused the court of bowing to majoritarian sentiments influenced by political entities rather than upholding legal framework of the country.
Furthermore, the Union has criticized certain media outlets for misleading the Hindu community by disseminating false information, suggesting that earlier Hindu worship has occurred within the mosque. The Union clarified that no Hindu worship has taken place in the Gyanvapi Masjid basement. It emphasized that the court ruling mandating Hindu prayer within seven days is based on unfounded claims.
The Union also condemned the lower courts’ tendency to favor the Hindu party through incremental decisions, highlighting the dismissal of the applicability of both the Places of Worship Act, 1991 and the Waqf Act. Drawing parallels to the Babri Masjid case, the Union expressed concern over a pattern wherein government machinery seems to be replicating similar scenarios nationwide, with the media playing a role in shaping false narratives leading to the destruction of historical mosques.
In the wake of Babri Masjid’s replacement with a Hindu temple and targeting of numerous mosques across the country, the Union appealed to the Supreme Court to rigorously enforce laws on places of worship. Additionally, the Union urged lower courts not to entertain any new petitions related to mosques in contravention of the law. It called upon individuals committed to justice and democracy to unite against orchestrated attempts to fuel anti-Muslim communal polarization, emphasizing the paramount importance of upholding the rule of law for a peaceful and just society.
