THE ALLAHABAD High Court on Monday adjourned till February 15 the hearing on a plea challenging the Varanasi district court’s January 31 order allowing prayers in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal issued the order after hearing the arguments of lawyers representing the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi. Advocate SFA Naqvi, representing the Masajid committee, said, “I submitted before the court on Monday that the order of January 31 reflects whatever the plaintiff had said. the Varanasi court accepted it as gospel truth.” “I also argued that when the plaintiff’s application was disposed of on January 17, where a receiver was appointed, how could the court pass another order on the same disposed-of application on January 31?,” said Naqvi. On January 31, Varanasi court ordered, “District Magistrate, Varanasi/Receiver is being directed to get puja and raag bhog done by a priest, designated by the plaintiff and Kashi Vishwanath Trust, of idols in the cellar to the south, which is disputed, of building situated on settlement plot no. 9130, police station Chowk, District Varanasi. For this, suitable arrangements must be made with iron barricading and other things within seven days.” Following the court's directive, the Varanasi district administration promptly took action, conducting the puja inside the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque. The Masajid committee moved court on February 2, within hours of the Supreme Court refusing to hear its plea against the Varanasi district court order and asking it to approach the high court.
