New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday dismissed the masjid committee plea and upheld a Varanasi court’s order on the maintainability of a suit filed by five Hindu women on their right to worship inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex. A lawyer representing the Hindu side expressed satisfaction at the outcome and said the day was not far when a grand Shiva temple will be constructed in place of the present structure.
“I hope that the day is not far when we will construct a grand Shiv temple there and the present structure will be removed,” said Hari Shankar Jain, an advocate representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque case, News18 reported.
On September 12, 2022, the Varanasi district court passed the order holding the Hindu suit to be maintainable. The high court dismissed the Muslim side’s plea challenging the maintainability of the Hindu suit.
Another lawyer representing the Hindu side called it a “historic verdict”. “It is a historic verdict. The court clearly has said Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee’s petition is not maintainable and dismissed it,” said Vishnu Shankar Jain representing the Hindu side. “It is a big win for the Hindu side. We welcome the decision of the court to dismiss Order 7 Rule CPC plea filed by Anjuman Intazamia Mosque Committee, which challenged the maintainability of the suit of five Hindu women worshippers seeking the right to worship inside Gyanvapi mosque,” said Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, a lawyer representing the Hindu side.
The five women who had filed the suit marked the verdict by feeding each other and distributing sweets. They expressed happiness and said they were scared that the verdict will not be in their favour, the report added.
Reacting to the development, the Muslim side said this was not a big win for the Hindu side as a review petition can be filed and they can also approach the Supreme Court. “This is not a big win (for the Hindu side) as the court gave a verdict only on the Order 7 Rule CPC plea filed by Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee. We can file a review petition and also approach the Supreme Court. The next course of action will be decided upon after reading the order,” said Mohammad Tauheed Khan, the advocate representing the Muslim side.
