UP court verdict today on Gyanvapi mosque shivling worship plea

Varanasi: A fast-track court in Varanasi will rule on the petition for the worship of the "Shivling," which the Hindu side claimed to have discovered on the grounds of the Gyanvapi mosque.

The Civil Judge Senior Division Fast Track court will rule on the petitioner's three main demands, which are the right to immediately begin Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar's prayers, the transfer of ownership of the entire Gyanvapi complex to Hindus, and the prohibition of Muslims from entering the Gyanvapi complex's grounds.

It should be mentioned that the Muslim side is currently permitted to offer prayers.

The Varanasi court had rejected allowing a "scientific study" of the alleged "Shivling" during the prior hearing, which had occurred in October.

The Hindu side had asked for carbon dating of the object inside the wazukhana of the Gyanvapi Mosque that they believed to be a Shivling, ANI reported.

The discovered structure, according to the Muslim side, was a "fountain," though. On September 22, the Hindu side had filed a request with the Varanasi District Court asking for a carbon dating of the artefact they claimed to be the "Shivling."

The Hindu side said that they would appeal the Varanasi court's decision not to permit a "scientific investigation" of the alleged "Shivling," which they claimed to have discovered on the grounds of the Gyanvapi mosque, to the Supreme Court.

The Hindu side had requested a scientific assessment of the "Shivling" by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the carbon dating of the "Argha" and its vicinity of it during the hearing on September 29.

The Varanasi court said, "It would not be proper to order the survey of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and by giving such order the age, nature, and structure of the said Shivling is known, even this does not imply the possibility of a just solution."

Advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the side in the Gyanvapi case, "Court has rejected our demand of seeking carbon dating. We'll move to Supreme Court against this order and challenge it there. I cannot announce the date as of now, but we'll soon challenge this order in Supreme Court."

Another lawyer of the Hindu side Madan Mohan Yadav said, "Though the court has rejected the demand of seeking carbon dating, the option of going to the High Court is available and the Hindu side will place their point before the High Court as well."

The Varanasi Court had stated in reference to the Supreme Court's ruling from May 17 that "If the alleged Shivling is damaged by taking samples, then it will be in violation of the order of the Supreme Court".

"If the Shivling is damaged, the religious sentiments of the general public can also get hurt", the Varanasi Court had said.

The age of an archaeological object or find can be determined scientifically using carbon dating.

The court had reserved its decision on the Gyanvapi Mosque-Shringar Gauri issue after hearing the arguments from both sides.

On May 20, the Supreme Court issued an order transferring the civil judge's civil case involving worship at the Gyanvapi mosque to the Varanasi District Judge.

The Muslim side's attorney, Akhlaq Ahmed, said that the Hindu side's argument could not stand since it violated the Supreme Court's ruling protecting the structure (which the Muslim side claims to be a fountain and the Hindu side claims to be a Shivling).

"We responded to the application on carbon dating. Stone does not have the capacity to absorb carbon. The Supreme Court in its May 17 order, according to, the object that the commission found, had to be protected. The order of the SC will prevail, so the object cannot be opened. According to the Hindu side, the process will be scientific, even if it is so, there will be tampering with the object. Chemicals will be used for the test. We will take action based on the order by the court on October 14," Ahmed had told ANI.

Another lawyer representing the Muslim side, Tohid Khan had said, "The court will deliver its verdict on whether the application seeking carbon dating is acceptable or should be rejected. The structure is a fountain and not Shivling. The fountain can still be made operational."