"Historic order": Adovocate Vishnu Jain after court allows hindu side to offer prayers at Gyanvapi mosque complex

VARANASI: Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, said there was, till date, no written order available with any government showing how Hindu devotees were stopped from offering prayers inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

This comes after a Varanasi court on Wednesday allowed Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

Speaking with ANI,Jain said, "As soon as arrangements are made, Hindu devotees will start offering prayers. Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust does not need any order to make arrangements for prayers. We have done our legal work. It is up to Trust to start the prayers within seven days."

Referring to the February 1, 1986 order, when District Judge KM Pandey ordered the opening of the locks of Ram Mandir, Jain said, "I compare today's order with that February 1, 1986 order. It is a historic order," he added.

Without naming any government, Jain said, "And one state government had misused its power to stop the Hindu devotees from offering prayers there. Today, the court rectified it with its pen. And gave the order to allow the prayers".

The court has asked the district administration to make the necessary arrangements in the next seven days.

"There was no written order to stop the prayers. Today, there is also no written order from any government to show how the prayers were stopped. We will soon complete the legal case. And win it."

On a query, he said, ""Next, there will be a survey on Wuzu Khana. For which there will be a hearing in the Supreme Court."

Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, another Hindu side lawyer, told ANI, "...Today the right has been given to perform puja (prayers) at 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' and the court has given the order to the district officer for compliance of the order within a week..."

Petitioners and advocates representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case flashed a victory sign after the court order.

"Hindu side allowed to offer prayers at 'Vyas Ka Tekhana'. The District Administration will have to make arrangements within 7 days," Jain said earlier in the day.

Sudhir Tripathi, counsel for the Hindu side, told ANI, "...Today the court has ordered that arrangements should be made and puja here (Vyas ji Ka Tekhana) should be allowed. The puja can start on any day in the next 7 days..."

The mosque has four 'tahkhanas' (cellars) in the basement out of which one is still in possession of the Vyas family who used to live here.

Vyas had petitioned that as hereditary pujari he be allowed to enter the tahkhana and resume pooja.

On January 17, 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' was taken into possession by the district administration.

Somnath Vyas's family used to worship in the basement until 1993.

After 1993, the prayers were stopped in the basement on the orders of the then-state government.