Varanasi court allows priest’s kin right to worship deities in Gyanvapi mosque cellar

The Varanasi district court on Wednesday granted the family of a priest the right to worship Hindu deities in the Gyanvapi mosque cellar, Hindu side counsel Madan Mohan Yadav said. The order was given by district court judge A K Vishvesh.

According to the petition, priest Somnath Vyas used to perform prayers there till 1993 when the cellar was closed by the authorities.

Advocate Yadav said the district administration will make arrangements for performing puja and it will be facilitated by the Kashi Vishwanath Trust.

Shailendra Kumar Pathak, maternal grandson of Somnath Vyas, had sought the right to worship deities there.