News18 Exclusive: 'Major victory, court accepted all our arguments,' say Hindu side's lawyers in Gyanvapi case

New Delhi: The Hindu side's lawyers in the Gyanvapi Mosque case said told CNN-News18 that it was a "major victory" for them as a Varanasi court rejected the Muslim side's plea.

The petition questioned the maintainability of a plea seeking permission for daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque.

'Court said Places of Worship Act not applicable in this case'

The lawyers Vishnu Jain and Harishankar Jain told CNN-News18 that the court found that the "Places of Worship Act in 1991 was not applicable in this case."

They said that the court observed that the Hindu side has been worshipping at the mosque premises till 1993.

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"The court has asked the Muslim side to submit its argument," Vishnu Jain said.

Speaking on the course of action ahead, Advocate Harishankar Jain said that going forward the Hindu side will seek permission for the Gyanvapi Mosque's excavation and carbon dating.

According to The Indian Express, "the Places of Worship Act prohibits conversion of any place of worship and to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on the 15th day of August, 1947, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”

The Gyanvapi case

In 1991, a plea was filed in a court in which the petitioners and local priests sought permission to worship in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

The structure was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1699. It is located adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Over the years, several petitions have been filed claiming that the mosque was built by demolishing parts of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

With inputs from agencies

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