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Gyanvapi mosque row: No puja was ever held in basement, says Muslim Personal Law Board
In a statement on Friday, the AIMPLB countered the Varanasi court order and said no puja was ever held at Gyanvapi mosque's basement called Vyas ji ka tahkhana.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Friday said no puja was ever held at the basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque where the Varanasi district court recently allowed the Hindus to offer prayers in a historic judgment. Hours after the order, the basement called Vyasji ka Tahkhana was opened after 31 years and prayers were offered.
The Muslim side approached the Supreme Court which asked them to move the Allahabad high court. The high court on Friday adjourned the matter till February 6. Meanwhile, the Hindu side has been offering prayers five times a day.
'Overnight breaking of iron grills'
The AIMPLB expressed concern over the swift initiation of puja after breaking the iron grills and placing idols. "It is imperative to clarify that no pooja was ever conducted in this basement. The District Judge's decision, based on an absurd and baseless claim, is highly questionable, given its timing on the last day of his service," the AIMPLB said. Varanasi district judge Ajaya Krishna Vishvesha passed the order allowing the Hindu side to offer prayers on the last day of his work.
Muslim body seeks President, CJI's intervention
In the statement, the AIMPLB said they have requested time to communicate their concerns to President Droupadi Murmu. "This matter goes beyond preserving the dignity of the courts; it is also about safeguarding minority communities and marginalised sections from feeling deprived and frustrated," the Muslim body said.
Similar claims are being made on Shahi Eidgah of Mathura, the Sunheri Masjid in Delhi, they said adding that the trend of unwarranted claims on places of worship raises serious concerns.
AIMPLB president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani said the notion that a temple was demolished to build the Gyanvapi mosque in wrong because Islam does not allow taking away someone's land to build a mosque.
"In the Babri Masjid decision, it was accepted that the temple was not brought down to build a mosque but the decision was made in the favour of the other side on the basis of 'aastha (faith)'. Courts should rule on the basis of facts and not 'aastha'," he said.
Friday namaz at Gyanvapi amid heavy security
A day after the Hindu side started puja at the basement of the mosque, a large number of people offered the Friday namaz amid heavy security. A bandh was observed in Varanasi's Muslim-dominated areas, called by the mosque committee.
