Kashi, Mathura, Delhi, Lucknow: 'Right to worship' claims gain momentum post Ayodhya

“Ayodhya toh jhanki hai, Kashi-Mathura baaki hai” was the slogan raised after the 2019 Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi verdict.

Over the last few days, a number of cases in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvaapi mosque have been heard by different levels of the judiciary, even as the political battle played out over the “religious character” of the premises.

In recent months, Kashi is not the only place where this battle between a mandir and a masjid is being fought.

In 2020, during the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, slogans from the VHP, ABVP and other Hindu right-wing organisations claimed that Ayodhya is the beginning and that the reclamation of other temples will also follow. “Ayodhya toh jhanki hai, Kashi-Mathura baaki hai” was the slogan raised.

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On Thursday, the senior advocate appearing for the Varanasi mosque management committee informed the court that the ongoing dispute had led to “similar petitions” being filed in other temple-mosque cases, which would have "larger ramifications across the country".

Here we take a look at the various areas of dispute which have gained fire, particularly after the 2019 Ayodhya verdict.

The ancient city and the temple are considered to be one of the most sacred places of Hinduism. The Gyanvaapi mosque was built by Aurangzeb, as mentioned in the medieval annals, after his conquest of the city and the demolition of large parts of the temple.