Lack of funds, harassment: Key litigant to withdraw from Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque case

Varanasi: Jitendra Singh Vishen, chief of The Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, said he is withdrawing as the "main pleader" for Rakhi Singh, one of the five Hindu women plaintiffs, in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case of Varanasi.

Vishen said he took the decision due to lack of resources required for contesting the case and "harassment by anti-religious people".

He has not submitted an application regarding his decision in the court yet.

Five Hindu women -- Rakhi Singh, Manju Vyas, Rekha Pathak, Seeta Sahu, and Lakshami Devi -- filed the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case in the court of the civil judge (senior division) Varanasi, in August 2021. The plaintiffs sought the right of daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in Gyanvapi mosque complex.

Vishen said, "I have decided to withdraw myself and my family members from the pleading of all the cases which we had filed in different courts in the interest of country and dharma. My niece Rakhi Singh with four women filed the case: Rakhi Singh and others versus State of UP and others, seeking permission for daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal, and I am associated with it as the main pleader. My wife Kiran Singh (filed a suit) as the next friend of Bhagwan Adi Vishweshwar Virajman in the fast-track court of civil judge (senior division) in May 2022."

While Vishen was engaged in pleading the Shringar Gauri case on behalf of Rakhi Singh, his wife Kiran Singh had filed a suit seeking permission for daily worship of Adi Vishweshwar Virajman in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex.

"Ever since these cases were filed, my family members and I are being harassed by anti-religious people who are against Hindu dharma. These people are trying to declare us 'gaddar' (treacherous). In addition, society is also standing with the forces," Vishen said.

He also said, "A few months ago, I sold my car to arrange the funds required for contesting the case. But now I am left with very limited resources and strength due to which I cannot do the pleading of the cases anymore. My family members and I have decided to withdraw from the pleading of these cases."

Vishen's lawyer Shivam Gaur has also announced his own withdrawal from the cases.

Meanwhile Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, a lawyer for the Hindu plaintiffs, said, "Jitendra Singh Vishen has made the announcement in the media to withdraw from the pleading of the case. He posted about it on social media. But Vishen has not yet submitted a written application to the court about his decision. The case is pending in court."

IANS with superficial edits