As the Allahabad High Court refused to give any relief to the Muslim side in the Gyanvapi Mosque case, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Friday (February 2) expressed “shock” over the court’s ruling and alleged that the Muslim side was not given a chance to present its side on the matter. The AIMPLB said that they would move the Supreme Court against the order of the court and also seek appointment from President Droupadi Murmu.
This comes after Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi didn't get any relief from the Allahabad High Court on Friday as it filed a plea challenging a Varanasi court's order allowing Hindus to perform prayers in the southern cellar of the mosque.
AIMPLB addresses press conference
Addressing a press conference, AIMPLB chief Saifullah Rahmani said that the High Court’s decision has given a “big shock” to the Muslims as well as the secular people of the country.
“Gyanvapi case has given a big shock to 20 crore Muslims as well as secular people. Today, secular Hindus and Sikhs are all sad and shocked. It is said that Muslims demolished the temples and built mosques over them, which is absolutely false. Islam does not allow this,” he said.
“If Muslims had thought that we should build temples on other people’s land, then would the temples have remained for so many years when Muslims were in power?” he asked.
Terming the High Court’s ruling as “disappointing”, Rahmani alleged that there is a “separate law for majority” in the courts. He also cited the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Ram Mandir issue in 2019 and said that the Babri Masjid was not built by demolishing the temple.
“The decisions of the courts are disappointing. In the Gyanvapi case, the other party was not given a chance to present its views in the court. There is a separate law for the majority in the courts. Same decision was taken in Ram temple also. The temple was never demolished there to build the mosque. Our courts are also following the path of breaking people's trust. We regret that when people of all religions together gave martyrdom, now everyone is not being seen equal,” the AIMPLB chief alleged.
“We will move Supreme Court against the decision of the Allahabad High Court. We will ask for an appointment with the President,” he announced.
Arshad Madani alleges court's ruling based on faith
Maulana Arshad Madani, also present at the press conference, said that the verdict on Babri Masjid opened the way for such decisions.
“The Babri Masjid decision opened the way for these people.. The decision was taken not according to the law but on the basis of faith. The court is seeing what the majority society wants. The same decision is taken,” Madani alleged.
Mahmood Madani alleged that there is a big question mark on India’s judicial system.
“There is a big question mark on India's judicial system. There is a big question mark on India's judicial system. The higher courts are not ready to hear it due to technical reasons. Where should we go?” he said.
“The matter should not escalate to such an extent that things get worse.. It is everyone's responsibility to take the country forward. We are being treated like enemies,” he alleged.
Gyanvapi case
Earlier, a Varanasi Court asked the District Magistrate (DM) to make arrangements for 'Puja/Raga-Bhoga' of Idols inside Mosque's Southern Cellar (Vyas Ji Tahkhana).
The Muslim side filed a plea in district court seeking a stay for 15 days on puja inside the basement. The Hindu side also filed a caveat, seeking that it should be heard before the court passes any order.
The matter was mentioned before Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta by senior advocate SFA. Naqvi and he was asked to move an urgent listing plea before the Registrar Listing.
The development comes after the Supreme Court refused to urgently hear the Mosque Committee's plea against the order allowing puja in Vyas Ji ka Tehkhana, located at the southern cellar of the Mosque.
The Varanasi District Judge had directed the district administration to make appropriate arrangements within 7 days for Hindus to conduct worship rituals inside one of the sealed cellars (Vyas ji ka tehkhana) inside the existing Gyanvapi mosque complex.
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