Varanasi court rejects 7 applications for becoming party in Gyanvapi mosque-Shringari Gauri case

Varanasi (UP): A Varanasi court on Monday turned down seven applications for becoming a party in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case.

Hearing the case, district judge AK Vishvesha rejected the plea of seven people. It will give its verdict on three other applications, that it heard during the day, on the next date of hearing on October 21, government counsel Mahendra Pandey said.

The people who had filed applications for becoming a party include former mahant of Kashi Vishwanath Temple Kulpati Tiwari, Hindu Sena national president Vishnu Gupta, weaver Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, president of regional Brahmin Mahasabha Ajay Kumar Sharma among others, Pandey said.

While some of the applicants prayed for becoming a party in the case seeking permission for regular worship of deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the mosque, others said they had detailed information about the case which is why they need to be made a party, Pandey said.

The Muslim applicant prayed for making him a party as some persons wanted to infringe upon his right to continue offering ‘namaz’ at the mosque which he had been doing all along, Pandey added.

The court is hearing the plea of five women Hindu petitioners who had sought permission for regular worship of deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the mosque.