Gyanvapi case: What's media in Pakistan, other Islamic nations saying about raging controversy

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Gyanvapi case: A local court in Varanasi on May 16 directed the district administration to seal a spot in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex after counsels representing the Hindu petitioners said a Shivling was found during a court-mandated videography survey. A mosque management committee spokesperson disputed the claim, saying that the object was part of a “fountain”. A day later, the top court directed the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure the protection of an area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where a 'Shivling' was said to have been found and allowed Muslims to offer ‘namaz’ and perform “religious observances”.  The district court in Varanasi Thursday will hear arguments on the maintainability of a plea by five Hindu women seeking permission for daily worship of the Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex, and posted the matter for further hearing on May 30.

The issue is being widely discussed in Pakistan and other Islamic nations around the world. News channels and newspapers have prominently published the developments regarding the controversy. 

Also Read | Gyanvapi case: Shivling inside mosque desecrated by Muslims, claims lawyer Vishnu Jain

Here's a peek into what global media is saying about the issue which is at the centre of the debate

Pakistan 

The issue of Gyanvapi  was extensively covered by the Pakistani media. The controversy gained prominent spots in the national dailies of Pakistan with several opinion pieces and daily news reports. In one such report, Pakistan's Dawn commented that lower courts have done the work of increasing such disputes in India. In one such report report, the newspaper quoted a statement by Khan that read, "It was the result of an order of a district court in Uttar Pradesh in 1986 that instigated Hindutva activists to demolish the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya five years later."

In another report in the Express Tribune, the web portal shared an article by Turkish news agency, Anadolu, saying "Hindu right-wing claims on monuments, historic mosques raise fears in India".

Bangladesh

Bangladesh's newspaper 'The Daily Star' carried one opinion piece by Air Cdre (Retd) Ishfaq Ilahi Choudhury which said "The Evolving Threat of religious extremism".

It also quoted AP saying that due to such cases in India, religious places of Muslims are threatened. Hindu nationalists have been attacking minorities here for a long time and they want to make India a Hindu Rashtra. 

Turkey

The news agency Anadolu says that due to the claims made on mosques in India, there has been an atmosphere of panic. One of the reports claimed that BJP for its vote bank wants to divert the attention of the people from the real issues like inflaction, illiteracy, etc.

In fact, not just Islamic nations, but almost all top international media houses have covered the dispute. 

The Washington Post wrote "The mosque at the center of India’s battle over religious identity". The article, authored by Niha Masih, describes how the Gyanvapi mosque has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the escalating struggle between India’s Hindu nationalists and its Muslim minority.

UK's Independent, in its report, said "Gyanvapi mosque dispute becomes a religious flashpoint in India."

Also Read | '1991 Act doesn't bar ascertaining nature of place of worship': Hindu side on Gyanvapi mosque row