Gyanvapi Row: Vyas family member claims legal right to one of the cellars

Vyasji also said that contrary to media reports claiming that there are three cellars, there are only two cellars. "The key to one of them is with us and the other is with the administration. The key to the second sellar is with the Masjid Committee. Keys were provided to open all the locks. No lock has been broken," Vyasji said.

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): The Vyas family of Varanasi, which has been involved in prolonged legal battles with the Gyanvapi Mosque authorities over the possession of the three cellars, has now claimed that they have legal ownership of one of the cellars under the mosque. Speaking to ETV Bharat, Shailendra Pathak Vyas, whose maternal grandfather Somnath Vyas, is believed to have a long association with the Gyanvapi complex, said that his family still has legal rights to one of the cellars and has the keys to it.

Vyas also said that contrary to media reports claiming that there are three cellars, there are only two cellars. "The key to one of them is with us and the other is with the administration. The key to the second sellar is with the Masjid Committee. Keys were provided to open all the locks. No lock has been broken," Vyasji said. He also said that the so-called third cellar mentioned in media reports is not a cellar at all. Vyasji argued that there is a gate at the rear of the Shringar Gauri temple, a little away from the western part of the mosque, which goes up the stairs in the gallery-like part which is being described as a cellar in media reports.

Shailendra Pathak Vyas also said that after 1992, the administration locked the cellar which belongs to his family. He said that before 1992, Somnath Vyas used to perform religious worship there. He said that nothing will be found inside the cellar if it is casually searched adding that if excavation is conducted there "definitely a large number of broken Shivlings and deities will be found."

"There are two basements on both sides. One takes entry from the southern end i.e. the Nandi part, over which we have a right. While the second cellar takes entry from the northern side. On which the Masajid Committee has the right," he added. He said his maternal grandfather used to take him to the cellar during childhood and used to perform religious worship there. "Since there was no electricity, so we used to work with lanterns. Even today there is no electricity connection inside the cellar," he added.