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AIMC opposes temporary gate installation at the entrance of Gyanvapi complex
On Friday, a large number of people from the Muslim community, along with Mufti-e-Banaras Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani, gathered at gate number 4 to oppose the installation of the gate.
VARANASI: A large number of Muslims led by Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani, secretary of the Anjuman Itezamia Masajid Committee (AIMC), which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, opposed the installation of a temporary iron gate at the entrance of Gyanvapi complex near gate number 4 on Friday.
Hindu and Muslim devotees use gate number 4 to access the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Gyanvapi mosque, respectively.
According to the Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple administration, a temporary gate was being installed near entrance gate number 4 on Thursday for crowd management, as in this month of Shrawan, Shivratri fell on Friday, the day of the weekly namaz.
On Friday, a large number of people from the Muslim community, along with Mufti-e-Banaras Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani, gathered at gate number 4 to oppose the installation of the gate. They had come to offer namaz at the Gyanvapi mosque. They alleged that the administration was doing this to prevent Muslims from entering the mosque.
“We are against the installation of this gate because the intention behind it is not clear. The new arrangement will not be accepted. Our protest will continue,” said Nomani.
AIMC joint secretary SM Yasin said, “The entire Muslim community is apprehensive about the motive behind installing the gate. What was the need to install the gate all of a sudden, and why were we not informed about it?”
He alleged that the installation of the gate was an effort to interrupt the entry of Muslims to the Gyanvapi mosque and that the gate should be removed immediately.
Yasin had also written a letter to deputy commissioner (security) Suryakant Tripathi, requesting the removal of the gate. He has also sent a copy of the letter to the KV Temple administration.
In this regard, sub divisional magistrate of Kashi Vishwanath temple, Shambhunath, said that in view of the crowd expected from both communities on Friday, a temporary gate was installed for security and crowd management. This arrangement would allow the crowd to enter from one side and exit from the other side.
He further said that the security committee proposed installing this gate, but the work was stopped due to objections from the Muslim side.
Meanwhile, chief executive officer of the temple, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, said that the Muslim side’s apprehension was completely baseless. The decision to install the gate was made with crowd management in mind. “The protest by the Muslim community was unjustified. However, due to their protest, the installation of the gate has been halted,” he said.
