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Varanasi, 14 July. After the initiative of mediation by the Supreme Court to resolve the Gyanvapi dispute, the discussion regarding this matter has once again intensified in Varanasi. The litigants from the Hindu side have said that they will attend the mediation meeting to be held in the District Court. At the same time, he alleged that the Muslim side and the Gyanvapi Masjid Management Committee are not accepting this initiative.

Litigant Sohan Lal Arya from the Hindu side said that this step taken by the Supreme Court is positive and should be welcomed. He claimed that this is a good effort towards resolving the dispute, but the Muslim side does not want to participate in it, which is not appropriate in terms of social harmony.

In support of his claim, Sohan Lal Arya said that he considers some of the structural and religious symbols present in the Gyanvapi complex to be indicative of a temple. He said that this is his main evidence. However, these are the claims of the Hindu side, on which the final decision has to be taken by the court.

Accusations made against Muslim side

Sohan Lal Arya also said that the Muslim side has suffered a setback in the cases to Waqf Board and Places of Worship Act, 1991 in Varanasi District Court and Allahabad High Court. According to him, now the matter is pending in the Supreme Court and that is why the Muslim side is avoiding mediation. However, the Muslim side says that it is presenting its case in the court as per its legal rights and constitutional provisions.

Other litigants also presented their views

Plaintiff Lakshmi Devi from the Hindu side alleged that the Muslim side was creating obstacles in the case since the beginning. He claimed that the Gyanvapi site was originally a temple and later a mosque was built there. Another plaintiff Sita Sahu said that she believes that this place is a temple and she is presenting her case in the court on this basis. He said that if the temple is handed over to the Hindu side through court or mutual consent, the dispute will automatically end. He also said that the Hindu side always respects the court orders and will abide by any statutory decision.

What is the Gyanvapi controversy?

The Gyanvapi case is a long-running legal dispute to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and the adjacent Gyanvapi complex. The Hindu side claims that in the year 1669, during the reign of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, the ancient temple was demolished and a mosque was built there. On the other hand, the Muslim side disagrees with these claims and opposes any change in the religious nature of the site, citing the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. Both sides also have different interpretations regarding the report of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Various petitions in the matter are still pending in the courts and the final decision is yet to come.