Gyanvapi dispute: Hindu side continues arguments, matter to be taken up tomorrow

After the hearing on Thursday, Vishnu Shankar Jain said, “We cited the relevant judgments and argued at length about the relevance of the Hindu Shastric Law and how it is applicable under the Indian Evidence Act

An aerial view shows Gyanvapi mosque, left, and Kashi Viswanath temple on the banks of the river Ganges in Varanasi. File | Photo Credit: AP

In the ongoing Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple civil dispute, four of the five Hindu plaintiffs on Thursday continued arguments opposing the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee’s application challenging the maintainability of their suit. 

During the hearing before Varanasi District Judge AK Vishvesha, the legal team led by advocate Hari Shankar Jain and his son advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, submitted that the religious character of the disputed location did not change when Hindu deities were allegedly demolished and a mosque was built. 

After the hearing on Thursday, Vishnu Shankar Jain said, “We cited the relevant judgments and argued at length about the relevance of the Hindu Shastric Law and how it is applicable under the Indian Evidence Act. We will continue our arguments on Friday.”

The court is currently hearing the maintainability application filed by the masjid panel in the dispute. The masjid panel had argued that the suit is barred under the Places of Worship Act of 1991. However, the Hindu plaintiffs are arguing that the 1991 Act allows their suit and are seeking the right to “prove” the religious character of the disputed site as of August 15, 1947. 

After this, the court is set to take up the objections filed to the video survey of the mosque premises that was conducted in May under orders of the civil court that was earlier hearing the case.