The Varanasi district court has scheduled April 11 for the hearing of a petition seeking to prohibit Muslim devotees from walking atop the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque, where Hindu prayers were recently permitted by the court.
Counsel for the Hindu side, Madan Mohan Yadav, revealed that the Muslim side, citing the ongoing month of Ramzan, requested additional time to present their case during Tuesday's proceedings before in-charge district judge Anil Kumar.
Consequently, the court granted the request and fixed April 11 for the next hearing.
The petition filed by the Hindu side raises concerns about the structural integrity of the cellar's roof, describing it as old and weak. Additionally, it highlights the need for repairs to the pillars of the basement, known as 'Vyas Tehkhana'.
This development follows a recent ruling by the Allahabad High Court, which affirmed the continuation of Hindu prayers in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' of the Gyanvapi mosque, overturning the mosque committee's challenge to the district court's decision.
Yadav emphasised the detrimental impact of Muslim devotees walking or offering namaz on the top of the cellar, asserting that it poses risks to the ageing structure, which requires urgent repairs.
Earlier, on January 31, the district court had granted permission for a Hindu priest nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust to conduct prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the mosque.
These prayers are now being conducted under the supervision of the temple trust, with the petitioner asserting a familial tradition of puja in the cellar dating back to December 1993.
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