Hindus Allowed By Court To Offer Prayers At Gyanvapi Mosque's Basement

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain of the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case said on Wednesday that Hindus have been allowed by a Varanasi court to offer prayers at 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' or basement at the mosque premises.

The court order, as cited in reports, said prayers could be conducted by priests from the Vishwanath Temple, adding that arrangements should be made to remove barricades blocking entry to the Gyanvapi mosque's basement, which was ordered sealed by the Supreme Court during the ASI survey.

"The District Administration will have to make arrangements within 7 days," Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain said.

"...Puja will start within seven days. Everyone will have the right to perform Puja..." he said.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain is the one who had last week claimed that the report of a scientific survey by the ASI suggests the mosque was built on the remains of a pre-existing temple.

Meanwhile, Hindu women plaintiffs have on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to determine the nature and associated features of a 'Shivling', claimed to have been found at Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque, in the sealed area.

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In a separate application, the four Hindu women, who are the original plaintiffs in the suit pending before the Varanasi court, also sought vacation of the top court's May 19, 2023, order by which it had deferred the scientific survey, including carbon dating, to determine the age of the 'Shivling' as directed by the Allahabad High Court on May 12, 2023.

ALSO READ | ASI Report Says Hindu Temple Existed At Gyanvapi Mosque Site Once: Hindu Side's Advocate

The plaintiffs submitted that the exact nature of the 'Shivling' can be determined after removing the artificial/modern walls/floors surrounding it and by undertaking a survey of the entire sealed area by excavation and using other scientific methods, news agency PTI reported.

The application filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain said the direction be issued to the ASI to submit a report within the time provided by the court.

(With PTI inputs)