Court allows to continue video inspection of Gyanvapi mosque

Varanasi, May 12: The video inspection of the Gyanvapi mosque, located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, will continue, a local court said today. The court had ordered an inspection in April this year on petitions by five Hindu women asking for year-long access to pray at a Hindu shrine behind the western wall of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi. Controversy erupted over the survey in Gyanvapi mosque as the Muslim side, which is opposing videography in the mosque, stood adamant on its demands. The lawyer for the Muslim side had filed a petition in the court and demanded to change the commissioner who was in charge of the survey alleging that the commissioner was not investigating impartially. The court today said it has decided not to replace the commissioner overseeing the survey. The petitioners' lawyer told the court has appointed two more survey commissioners; in total there are three now. Delhi-based Rakhi Singh, Lakshmi Devi, Sita Sahu and others had filed a petition seeking permission to perform daily pujas and rituals at Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman and Nandi located on the outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque. He had moved the court with his petition on April 18, 2021. After hearing the petition, the court of Varanasi Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar ordered videography of Shringar Gauri temple at Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi mosque complex and other places after Eid and before May 10. It is worth mentioning that the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri controversy started last year. When some women had filed an application in the court for permission to worship in Shringar Gauri. The court had ordered survey and videography of the Gyanvapi mosque to ascertain the exact situation. For this, Ajay Mishra was made the commissioner, under whose leadership the survey work is going on.