AIMPLB to back Gyanvapi panel in legal fight

Sudhir Kumar and Oliver Frederick

VARANASI/LUCKNOW: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board will support the Gyanvapi Masjid committee in its legal fight against Hindu petitioners seeking worshipping rights within the mosque premises, a case that will be heard in the Supreme Court and a local court in Varanasi on Thursday.

The Supreme Court will continue hearing a petition by Muslim parties against a controversial survey of the premises, ordered by the Varanasi civil court in April. On Tuesday, the apex court ordered that a section of the complex where a “Shivling” was found — as claimed by Hindu parties on Monday — shall remain protected until further orders but Muslims will have the right to offer namaz in the mosque without hindrance.

The civil court in Varanasi will hear a clutch of petitions by Hindu petitioners, on Thursday, calling for measuring of the “Shivling”.

District government counsel Mahendra Prasad Pandey filed a second application on May 17 asking for water pipes to be shifted from the tank area, and a third application was filed by the Hindu petitioners on May 18 urging the court to direct the removed advocate commissioner Ajai Kumar Mishra to file the report of survey proceedings in the court. Hearing in the main case could not take place on Wednesday due to a lawyers’ strike in the district. The court fixed May 19 as the date of hearing for three petitions.

The AIMPLB decided late on Tuesday night to back the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee.

“Muslims cannot tolerate the desecration of a masjid. The Aimplb...decided to provide legal aid to the mosque and its committee. Mathura’s Shahi Eidgah mosque was also discussed,” said Qasim Rasool Ilyas, executive member, AIMPLB. The board appealed to Muslims to maintain peace, stand with courage and fight the legal battle to the best of ability, Ilyas said.