Gyanvapi: Another Historical Masjid In Danger

Web Desk — After Babri, another historical Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, India, is in danger of demolition by the Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) Hindu extremists.

A north-Indian court ordered authorities to reduce the number of worshippers during prayer timings in the mosque after a survey team allegedly found relics of the Hindu god Shiva and other Hindu symbols there, lawyers involved in the case said.

Earlier this month, a Varanasi court set up a team to survey the premises after five women sought permission to perform Hindu rituals in one of its quarters claiming that a Hindu temple was once situated at the present mosque site.

The Gyanvapi mosque, located in the political constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is one of the three large mosques in Uttar Pradesh. Prominent Hindu groups believe it was built on a historic temple.

Leaders of India’s 200 million Muslims see the latest move as another attempt by hardline Hindus to undermine their rights to free worship and religious expression.

On the hand known for his controversial and communal statements and hate-mongering, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sangeet Som openly comes ahead threatening to demolish the Mughal-era Gyanvapi mosque.

Sangeet Som while commenting on Gyanvapi mosque said people should remember 1992 – the year when the Babri mosque was demolished. “That was 1992 and this is 2022. The strength of the youth has doubled now and time has come to make another decision,” he said.

The hate-monger also reportedly said, “People like Mughal emperor Aurangzeb demolished the temple and built the Gyanvapi mosque. Now it is time to take back the temple.”