VHP says no campaign on Gyanvapi, will bank on favourable court decision

New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) would put its faith in the judiciary for a favourable decision on the Gyanvapi masjid issue, and said it would not conduct any campaign for the purpose, said a statement of the body.

Critics of the sangh parivar have been allegeing that the BJP and its associated outfits use the dispute to whip up communal passion aimed at vote gains in upcomingstate and Lok Sabha elections, at the same time getting the masjid demolished.

The VHP referred to reports circulating on social media that claim it will organise a public awareness campaign across the country with a model of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple on the lines of its Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

VHP central working president Alok Kumar, however, said that the matter is pending before the court and they have full confidence in the judicial system.

"We have a just and good case. We have full confidence that we will get success in this matter through the court verdict," Kumar said.

"Therefore, VHP has not decided to start any kind of public awareness campaign or mass movement on this subject," he added.

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday reserved till August 3 its verdict on a plea against a Varanasi district court order directing the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey to determine if the Gyanvapi mosque was built upon a temple.

The court of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker also ordered that the stay on the ASI survey will continue till August 3. The court had originally given two days reprieve to the petitioners, barring survey till Wednesday and then extended it by another day, before Thursday's decision to set the new date of August 3.

The high court was hearing the plea filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, which manages the mosque.

(Based on PTI feed with minor edits)