Washington: An eminent Hindu American group on Thursday welcomed the Varanasi district court order that allowed Hindu prayers before idols in a cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque. Joined by over half a dozen Hindu American groups, Vishva Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) in a statement described it as a "historic ruling". "The VHPA expresses deep appreciation for the thoughtful and just decision of the honourable court. This landmark ruling restores the rights that were unlawfully taken from Hindus in November 1993," a media release said.
A puja was held in the mosque's southern cellar on Wednesday night, about eight hours after the Varanasi district judge order allowing the resumption of Hindu prayers in the cellar, a practice said to have been discontinued three decades back. Hours later, the mosque committee approached the Supreme Court and the Allahabad High Court seeking a stay on that order.
"The VHPA underscores that this case is fundamentally about property rights and not a conflict against any minority group. The decision, grounded in irrefutable evidence presented by the Hindu side, aligns perfectly with the principles of justice," it said. The VHPA said the extensive archaeological surveys conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have previously unearthed undeniable evidence, indicating that the Gyanvapi mosque was constructed following the demolition of a Hindu temple..
"The VHPA applauds the court for recognizing the significance of this evidence," the statement read. Meanwhile, the Indian American Muslim Council strongly condemned the court order allowing Hindu devotees to worship in the basement of Varanasi's Gyanvapi Masjid. "We vehemently stand against any effort to erase our history and heritage, as well as the manipulation of religious narratives for political ends. This court decision represents a significant injustice and constitutes another assault on the rights of India's 200 million Muslims," said IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed. On Thursday, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee approached the Supreme Court seeking an urgent hearing, challenging the district court order. But the apex court asked the committee to move the Allahabad High Court, which it did later in the day.
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