High Court Upholds Hindu Prayers in Gyanvapi Mosque's Cellar Amidst Dispute

In a significant decision today, the Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition challenging the Varanasi district court's ruling permitting Hindu prayers in a cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal affirmed that Hindu prayers in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' would persist, rejecting the mosque committee's appeal.

The district court's verdict, granted last month, allowed a priest to conduct prayers in the southern cellar known as "Vyas Tehkhana." The petition stemmed from Shailendra Kumar Pathak, asserting his familial right as a hereditary pujari to perform rituals, citing his grandfather's past practices until 1993.

The mosque committee contested Pathak's claim, denying the existence of idols in the cellar before 1993, thus challenging the premise of prayer activities. Following the Supreme Court's refusal to entertain their plea against the district court's order, the committee swiftly approached the High Court on February 2.

After hearing arguments from both sides on February 15, the High Court reserved its judgment. An Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report, initiated by the district court, previously suggested the mosque's construction atop the remains of a Hindu temple during Aurangzeb's reign, adding complexity to the ongoing dispute.