Varanasi admn makes temporary arrangements for ‘wuzu’ at Gyanvapi

The Supreme Court had directed the district collector to convene a meeting for working out a “congenial arrangement” on the Gyanvapi mosque management committee’s plea for arrangement for ‘wuzu’ during Ramzan prayers near the section in the mosque complex where a Shivling was stated to have been found during a survey last year

VARANASI Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee joint secretary SM Yasin on Friday thanked the Varanasi district administration for making plastic tubs and mugs available, as part of temporary arrangements for ‘wuzu’ (ritual ablutions) for Muslim devotees during Ramzan prayers at the Gyanvapi mosque complex, near the section where a ‘Shivling’ was said to have been found during a court-mandated survey last year.

Muslim devotees come out of Gyanvapi mosque after offering prayers on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramzan, amid tight security arrangements, in Varanasi. (PTI Photo)

“I am thankful to the district administration for making tubs and mugs available for ‘wuzu’,” he said.

The Supreme Court had on Monday directed the Varanasi district collector to convene a meeting on Tuesday for working out a “congenial arrangement” on the Gyanvapi mosque management committee’s plea for arrangement for ‘wuzu’ (ablution) during Ramzan prayers near the section in the mosque complex where a Shivling was stated to have been found during a survey last year.

“In view of the directives of the honourable Supreme Court, a meeting was held with Gyanvapi mosque management committee members (on Tuesday) and other stakeholders (Hindu plaintiffs) on Wednesday. As per requirement, in the Gyanvapi mosque complex, the plastic tubs were made available as part of the temporary arrangements for wuzu,” said S Rajalingam, district magistrate, Varanasi.

“We held a meeting with office-bearers of the Gyanvapi mosque management committee. A consensus was reached for making temporary arrangement for ‘wuzu’ on the mosque premises as per their requirement,” Rajalingam had said.

However on Wednesday, Hindu plaintiffs had opposed the decision to install a big water tank on the mosque premises as part of temporary arrangements.

Hindu plaintiffs, including advocate Shivam Gaur on behalf of plaintiff number 1 Rakhi Singh, plaintiff numbers 2 to 5 Rekha Pathak, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas and Lakshmi Devi with their advocates Sudhir Tripathi and Vishnu Shankar Jain (virtually) and Dr Ramprasad Singh, pairokar (pleader) Dr Sohan Lal Arya, attended the meeting.

Dr Arya said, “In the meeting, we unanimously told the DM that we are against setting up any sort of temporary arrangements for ‘wuzu’ near the portion of the Gyanvapi where the ‘Shivling’ was found. Any such arrangement is not acceptable.”

Part of the Gyanvapi premises was sealed on the orders of the civil court Varanasi in May last year after Hindu petitioners claimed that they found a ‘Shivling’ during a survey of the premises. The Muslim side said the structure is a ritual ablution fountain. The survey was ordered by a local court on the plea of five Hindu women who want daily worshipping rights in the complex.