The Gyanvapi case involves a legal dispute over the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi, India. The Hindu perspective suggests Mughal emperor Aurangzeb built the mosque after demolishing part of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Muslims assert it as a valid waqf property. Since 1991, the case has navigated twists. Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted a sealed report to the Varanasi district court, prompting a 2023 scientific survey. The Hindu side claims the ASI report confirms a pre-existing Hindu temple, while the Muslim side disputes and requests more time to study the report. The case remains pending, drawing significant attention.
The judicial case of the Gyanvapi mosque dispute is a complex and long-running one, involving multiple parties, claims, and evidences. Here is a brief summary of the main points of the case:
- The case was filed in 1991 by a group of local priests who claimed that the mosque was built by Aurangzeb after destroying a part of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, which is a sacred site for Hindus.
- The case was challenged by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee, which manages the mosque, and the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, which claimed that the mosque was a valid waqf property and protected by the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits any change in the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.
- The case was pending in the Varanasi civil court for decades, until in 2023, the court ordered a scientific survey of the mosque complex by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to ascertain whether there was any evidence of a pre-existing temple structure.
- The ASI submitted its report in a sealed cover to the court in January 2024, and according to the Hindu side's lawyer, the report confirmed the existence of a large Hindu temple prior to the construction of the mosque. However, the Muslim side has not accepted this claim and has sought more time to study the report³.
- The case is still pending in the court and has attracted a lot of attention from various quarters. The Supreme Court has transferred the proceedings to a senior and experienced judicial officer of the UP Judicial Services and has ordered that the interim order of protecting the Shivling area and allowing access to Muslims to offer prayers at the mosque will continue.