Varanasi: Amid the ongoing Gyanvapi mosque row, a Hindu saint tried to enter the mosque premises to worship the Shivling and later staged a dharna after being stopped by the police. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, a disciple of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, went to the Gyanvapi campus and announced to perform 'Jalabhishek' of the Shivling, which as per the Hindu litigants in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi mosque case was found in the complex, during a court-mandated survey of the premises last month.
Also read: Gyanvapi: Prominent Hindu seer says will offer prayers before claimed 'Shivling' on Saturday
However, the Muslim side has maintained that the object was part of the water fountain mechanism at the Wazoo Khana, where namazis (faithfuls) carry out ablutions before offering the namaz. Avimukteshwaranand was stopped by the police after which he sat on a dharna and hunger strike demanding permission to worship inside. The priest had on Thursday announced that he and his followers will offer prayers to 'Shivling' and said if the administration stops them from offering prayers, he would “inform the Shankaracharya and follow his instructions”.
The Varanasi District Court on Monday heard the Order 7 Rule 11 CPC application filed by the defendants (including the Anjuman Islamia committee) questioning the maintainability of the suit filed by the plaintiffs in the Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute and posted the matter for the next hearing on July 4.
