Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh): The Allahbad high court on Monday dismissed the appeal challenging the order of Varanasi District Judge allowing Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the 'Vyas Ka Tehkhana' area in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal of Allahabad High Court pronounced the verdict.
Dismissing the plea, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal said, "After going through the entire records of the case and considering the arguments of the parties concerned, the court did not find any ground to interfere in the judgment passed by the district judge on January 17, appointing the Varanasi district magistrate as the receiver of the property, as well as the order dated January 31 by which the district court permitted puja in the tehkhana."
The appeals before the high court were filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee that manages the affairs of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side said, "Today, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed the first appeal from orders of Anjuman Intezamia which was directed against the order of 17th and 31st January and the effect of the order is that the ongoing puja in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' of Gyanvapi complex will continue. If the Anjuman Intezamia comes to the Supreme Court, we will file our caveat before the SC."
Advocate Prabhash Pandey said, "The judge dismissed the pleas that the Muslim side had filed against the District Judge's order. It means that the puja will continue as it is. District Magistrate will continue as the Receiver of the 'tehkhana'. This is a big victory for our Sanatana Dharma. They (Muslim side) can go for a review of the decision. Puja will continue."
Earlier, the court had reserved the decision after a long debate between both the parties. The decision will be pronounced at 10 am on February 26. The mosque has four 'tahkhanas' (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there.
Earlier, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said that the judgement by the Varanasi court to allow Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex was a violation of the Places of Worship Act. (with agency inputs)
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