Hindu side cites crowd during namaz over safety of priest doing puja in Gyanvapi’s cellar
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Viewed as an effort to curb Muslims from performing Namas at the Gyanvapi mosque, the cellar of which Hindus now do puja after a court’s permission, the Hindu side has approached a Varanasi court raising concerns over the safety of the priest conducting puja inside.
The petitioner, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, CEO of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple trust, raised alarm after a recent incident where a stone dislodged from the roof during namaz prayers. The petitioner also raised concerns about crowds during namaz prayers, claiming that it could further damage the age-old Gyanvapi mosque’s structure.
A week ago, another petitioner from the Hindu side also approached the same court and demanded that Muslims should be stopped from performing Namaz on the roof of the cellar, claiming that Namaz may damage the fragile structure. However, no such alarm has been raised by the Muslim side regarding the site where they have been performing Namaz for centuries.
The Varanasi court, having appointed the District Magistrate as the receiver of the southern cellar on January 17, is set to hear the plea on March 19. Mishra cited the incident on February 15, attributing the stone's displacement to vibrations caused by the crowd during namaz prayers.
Expressing his concerns, Mishra revealed that the priest had submitted an application with photographs on February 16. The application highlighted the dilapidated condition of the walls and roof, with continuous water leakage causing structural damage. The CEO stressed the urgent need for internal roof repairs to avert potential accidents.
On January 31, the court had granted permission for puja inside the southern cellar, a move that Mishra now sees as necessitating swift action to ensure the safety of priests and devotees. He also expressed worry about the increasing number of devotees for namaz, contributing to vibrations that could compromise the already fragile structure.
The priest had initially approached the District Magistrate with a plea regarding the deteriorating condition of the cellar. However, receiving no direction, he subsequently applied Mishra, emphasizing the imminent risk of injury to priests and the urgent need for internal roof repairs.