No one can even touch Gyan Vapi masjid: Supreme Court

New Delhi: Refusing to intervene in the Ganga-Kashi Vishwanath pathway project, the Supreme Court has asked petitioners who approached it with a plea to stay the on-going work on the project to not take any steps that would disrupt peace in the ancient city.

A broad tree-lined pathway from the river to the temple complex has to be built under the project. The temple complex also includes a masjid. Some quarters fear that the masjid will be taken over on the pretext of demolition the properties around the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyan Vapi mosque complex.

Jitendra Nath Vyas and Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani of Gyan Vapi masjid have filed the petition in Supreme Court against the district administration’s move to pull down the boundary wall between the two structures on October 25. They claim that this would have far-reaching “adverse consequences for peace, harmony and tranquillity existing between the two communities for decades.”

The petitioners told the apex court that the two religious shrines stand next to each other inside the Gyan Vapi compound and the respective sides have entered into various agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs) for the maintenance and upkeep of the complex.

Dispelling the apprehensions of the petitioners, a bench of justices Arun Mishra and Vineet Sharan commented that the mosque is “protected by 20-feet high iron girders” and also a huge security “force”. “They will never touch it (the mosque),” Justice Mishra added, giving liberty to the petitioners to approach the court again if they have any such concerns.

As reported by the Hindustan Times the petition filed by advocate Fuzail Ayyubi read, “Breaching the protected boundary wall raises serious apprehensions with regard to the entire Gyan Vapi Area. Immediate attention is required due to the grave security threats raised in light of the constant destruction and construction being carried out without consent. It also infringes on the customary and religious rights of both Hindus and Muslims.”