Survey of Gyanvapi mosque violates law, court opening way for anti-Muslim violence: Asaduddin Owaisi
India Today
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned Varanasi court's order on surveying the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex. He said the order "is opening the path for the bloodshed of Rath Yatra and anti-Muslim violence of 1980s-1990s".
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said on Saturday that the court's recent order on surveying some areas in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex "is opening the path for the bloodshed of Rath Yatra and anti-Muslim violence of 1980s-1990s".
Condemning the Varanasi court's order, Asaduddin Owaisi said in a tweet, "This order to survey Kashi's Gyanvapi Masjid* is open violation of 1991 Places of Worship Act, which prohibits conversion of religious places."
"[The] SC [Supreme Court] in Ayodhya judgement had said the Act protects 'secular features of Indian polity which is 1 of basic features of Constitution'," Asaduddin Owaisi said.
Unfortunate that the Court* is blatantly defying the SC. By this order, the Court is opening the path for the bloodshed of Rath Yatra and anti-Muslim violence of 1980s-1990s. 2/2
Asaduddin Owaisi's statement comes a day after a court commissioner reached Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Gyanvapi Mosque earlier today to survey and videograph the premises in accordance to a court order.. According to news agency PTI, an official clarified that the videography-survey team didn't go inside the Gyanvapi Masjid on Friday.
A plea was filed by Delhi-based Rakhi Singh, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu and others demanding permission for daily worship and performing rituals at Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman and Nandi located on the outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque. They had moved the court with their plea on April 18, 2021.
After hearing the plea, the court of Varanasi's Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar ordered videography of the Shringar Gauri temple in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi mosque complex and other places after Eid and before May 10.
