Day 2 of Gyanvapi Survey: Action could not be started due to opposition from Masjid Committee side, heavy force deployed in anticipation of uproar

Expansion

The team reached today for survey and videography of many Deities including Shringar Gauri located at Gyanvapi complex of Varanasi, but the work could not start. The advocates of the Masjid Committee, who arrived about an hour after the court commissioner and the plaintiff’s side, opposed the survey. The survey commissioner who came out of the Gyanvapi campus said that we were not allowed inside the barricading. The people of the Masjid Committee came and stood at the door. Thus the survey has stopped again. Now the side will be presented in the hearing on May 9.

He said that no complaint will be made against the local administration in the court. Earlier, when the team had reached for the survey, there was an attempt to spoil the atmosphere outside the campus. After four o’clock prayers, a large number of people from the Muslim community arrived and started shouting slogans. The youths who were shouting slogans were removed by the police.

Police detained a man

The police have also taken a person into custody. During interrogation, he was identified as Abdul Kalam. Here, in view of the uproar on Friday, heavy police force is deployed in the Chowk area. Everywhere is being closely monitored.

Where AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has termed this action as a violation of law. So on the other hand, the Masajid Committee side, accusing the court commissioner of favoritism, has demanded the court to replace him. Hearing his petition, the court said that the survey commissioner and the plaintiffs should present their side. The next hearing of the matter will be held on May 9.

Here, arguments are being made about the matter on social media as well. Shivam Gaur, the advocate of women who filed suit for worshiping Darshan in Shringar Gauri, said that the survey work, which started on Friday, is likely to be completed by Sunday.

Survey may take up to three days

Told that the High Court has ordered the survey of measles number 9130. In this order, there is an order for the survey of the entire measles, which includes the entire Gyanvapi mosque complex and Shringar Gauri. In such a situation, the survey of such a large area may take three days.

According to the women who filed the case in the court, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas, Rakhi Singh, regular darshan-worship of Maa Shringar Gauri was allowed till the year 1992. The women had pleaded with the police officials for protection. In view of the survey, the force of 10 police stations of Varanasi Police Commissionerate and the Local Intelligence Unit have been asked to monitor the environment with extra vigilance.

Asaduddin Owaisi furious over the order of the survey

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted on Saturday that the recent court order on survey of some areas of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex is paving the way for bloodshed and anti-Muslim violence.

Condemning the Varanasi court order, Asaduddin Owaisi said in a tweet that the order to conduct a survey of Kashi’s Gyanvapi Masjid is a clear violation of the 1991 Places of Worship Act, which prohibits conversion of religious places. It is the duty of the government to tell the court why it is doing wrong.

Another tweet read that in the Ayodhya verdict, the Supreme Court had said that the Act protects the secular features of Indian polity which is one of the basic features of the Constitution. Asaduddin Owaisi’s statement came a day after a commissioner of the court surveyed and videographed the premises at Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Gyanvapi Masjid as per the court order.

What happened during the survey on Friday

Uproar during survey of Gyanvapi campus
– Photo : Amar Ujala

On Friday, on the orders of the court, survey and videography took place in the Gyanvapi campus for four and a half hours. During this, there was fierce sloganeering from both the sides on the road outside. During the survey, people kept the nearby shops closed as a precaution. Advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, appointed for the commission proceedings, along with others reached the premises for the survey at 3.15 pm on Friday and came out at 7 pm.

The commission is to submit its report to the district court on May 10. On the petition filed for the worship of mother Shringar Gauri, the district court has ordered survey and videography by sitting a commission. The commission proceedings began under the tight security of the police. The advocates who reached Gyanvapi were also investigated. After that the entry was given inside.

There was more crowd near the campus due to Friday and survey. During the time when the survey started, people closed the nearby shops as a precaution. After being assured by the police, other shops were opened except the surroundings.

this is the whole matter

women who filed the petition
– Photo : Amar Ujala

The suit was filed in the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) on 18 August 2021 on behalf of Rakhi Singh, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas and Rekha Pathak of New Delhi. It has been said that apart from allowing the devotees to perform daily darshan-worship of Maa Shringar Gauri and other rituals, the deities of other deities located in the premises should be kept safe.

Apart from the state government, the District Magistrate, Commissioner of Police, Anjuman Inazaniya Masajid Committee and Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust were made parties in the suit. On this case, the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar, on April 9, appointed Advocate Commissioner and ordered commission proceedings to know the status of the spot. The court had directed the police commissioner to make adequate security arrangements.