Place of Shivling should be kept safe, but prayers should not be interrupted: Supreme Court on Gyanvapi Masjid

New Delhi. In Varanasi's Gyanvapi Masjid case, the Supreme Court has ordered to secure the place where the Shivling is being claimed to be found, but there will be no restriction on Muslims going to the mosque and offering prayers there. The Supreme Court in its order on Tuesday limited the order of the lower court on the Gyanvapi mosque. The Supreme Court said, “Only the place where Shivling is being claimed to be found will be protected. These protections will be provided by the District Magistrate. They will ensure that the thing which is being claimed to be Shivling is not harmed.”

The effect of this order will be that the Vazukhana built in the mosque will not be fully utilized because the Shivling is being claimed to be in the middle of the Vazukhana. However, Muslim parties say that the Shivling which is being told is the fountain of the Vazukhana. According to the Supreme Court's order on Tuesday, there will be no restriction on the entry of Muslims in the Gyanvapi Masjid and any number of Namazis will go to the mosque and offer Namaz in their own way.

In its order, the Supreme Court also stayed the lower court's decision, which had said that only 20 worshipers will go to the Gyanvapi mosque. During the hearing, the Supreme Court indicated that the trial court would no longer pass any order in the matter, but there has been no official stay on the trial court's action. The next hearing in the Supreme Court will be held on Thursday, May 19. The apex court also issued notice to all the parties including the Uttar Pradesh government.

The judge said, “We are issuing notice. The hearing will take place on Thursday, May 19. On that day the lawyer of the plaintiffs who are in the civil court will also be heard. We are limiting the order dated May 16." After this, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, said that if someone sets foot on the Shivling, the law and order situation can be affected. To this the bench said that they have not stayed the hearing of the lower court.

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On this, lawyer Tushar Mehta, appearing for the UP government, said that people wash their hands and feet in the prayer hall, so there may be something important related to this case and it can be destroyed. SG Mehta feared that the Shivling might get damaged. On this the judge said that we will order security. Mehta again said, “I would like to speak on this tomorrow. We wish that your order does not have any undesired effect."

After this, Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing on behalf of the Masjid Committee, said that this order of the court would change the situation at the place. He told the court, “Without Wuzu, there is no prayer. That place is being used for centuries." After this the judge said, "We will hear on Thursday. For now, we will maintain the order of protection of the place where the Shivling is being claimed to be found. We will instruct the DM about this. If a Shivling is found, its protection is necessary, but the prayer should not be stopped now.”

The Supreme Court was hearing a plea by the Gyanvapi Masjid management against the survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. In a significant development, the apex court was hearing the matter as a Varanasi court on Monday directed the district administration there to seal the survey site inside the premises where the survey team has allegedly found the 'Shivling'. .

According to the top court's list of business for Tuesday, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and PS Narasimh heard the plea of ​​'Anjuman Intejamiya Masjid', the management committee that manages the affairs of Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi. The written order issued by a bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana on Friday ordered listing of the petition before a bench headed by Justice Chandrachud.