Gyanvapi Row: Allahabad HC to pronounce judgment on plea against prayers at basement today

The Allahabad High Court will deliver its verdict on the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC) appeal Today challenging the order of the Varanasi District Judge allowing Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the 'Vyas Ka Tehkhana' area in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal of Allahabad High Court will deliever a judgement in this regard. 

Earlier, the court had reserved the decision after a long debate between both the parties.

The decision will be pronounced at 10 am on February 26 (Today). The mosque has four 'tahkhanas' (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there. Earlier, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said that the judgement by the Varanasi court to allow Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' area inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex was a violation of the Places of Worship Act. "The judge who gave the decision was his last day before retirement.

The judge appointed the District Magistrate as receiver on January 17 and finally he has directly given the verdict. He himself said that no prayers were offered since 1993. It has been 30 years. How does he know there is idol inside? This is violation of Places of Worship Act," he said. 

"He has ordered to open the grills within 7 days. 30 days should have been given to make an appeal. This is wrong decision. Till the time Modi government does not state that they stand by the Places of Worship Act this will go on. During Babri Masjid title suit judgement, I had raised this apprehension. Places of Worship Act was made a part of the basic structure of the Supreme Court decision, then why are the lower courts not following the order?" Owaisi added

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI/IANS/PTI/Reuters)