HC adjourns hearing of all connected matters till April 8
It is a national dispute, says counsel
PRAYAGRAJ: The Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque issue in Varanasi is not a dispute of “property simpliciter” ((it’s not simply a property dispute) but it is a national dispute with emotions of millions of people attached to it, argued the counsel representing the temple before the Allahabad high court on Monday. The hearing of all connected matters was adjourned till April 8.
“The Hindu community believes that the disputed site is a temple of Lord Vishweshwar whereas the Muslim community believes that the disputed site is a mosque. Further, the decision in the Ram Janmabhoomi case has increased the importance of the present case,” added Vijay Shankar Rastogi, the counsel representing the temple.
Hearing a petition filed by Anjuman Intazamia Masjid of Varanasi and other petitions, Justice Prakash Padia adjourned the hearing of the matter till
April 8, along with other connected matters.
During the hearing on Monday, the counsel representing the temple said that the character of the religious structure is ascertained on the basis of the whole property, not on the basis of a part of the property. The religious character of the property cannot be changed by mere changing of a part only, the counsel said. It was also argued that when the whole evidence comes, only thereafter the religious character of a property would be determined.
It was further argued that by mere declaration of mosque as waqf property, the Waqf Act would not be applicable because it is a dispute between Hindus and Muslims and not between two sects of the Muslim community. Therefore, the Waqf Act could not be applicable in this case, the counsel said.