Plea seeking nod to perform rituals for 'Shivling' in Gyanvapi premises filed in SC

Varanasi, July 15: A fresh petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to allow Hindu devotees to perform religious rituals at the Shivling found during a survey conducted at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi.

The Hindu plaintiff had earlier claimed that a Shivling was found in the "wazookhana" (tank for ablution) of the Gyanvapi mosque during a court-mandated survey in May, a claim rejected by the Muslim side. Following this, Rajesh Mani Tripathi, President of Shri Krishnajanmabhoomi, has submitted a plea before the apex court.

The permission has been sought for the month of 'Shravana' which commenced on July 14 and will go on until August 12.

"Though this matter is pending adjudication before the court of law, so far as the various record are concerned, it reveals that the Gyanvapi Mosque was built after the demolition of the Shiva Temple in Varanasi. Therefore, being a Worshipper, if Shivling is there, Applicant's rights to worship also survive," read the petition, filed under Section 32 (Right to Constitutional Remedies). The judgement of the Ayodhya Ram Temple case was cited, which held that 'Once a deity, is always a deity and a temple, merely on being demolished, shall not lose its character, sanctity or dignity'.

Earlier, five women had filed a petition seeking permission for daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the mosque.

A lower court had ordered a videography survey of the complex. The survey work was completed on May 16 and the report was presented in the court on May 19.

The Hindu side had claimed in the court that a Shivling was found during the videography survey of the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex.

On the order of the Supreme Court later, the matter is now being heard in the district judge's court from May 23.