Delhi Police On Alert After Varanasi District Court Allows Hindu Side To Offer Prayers At Gyanvapi Complex

After the ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya and the Varanasi district court order allowing the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque, the Delhi Police on Wednesday has issued an advisory to all station house officers to remain vigilant and avoid any type of communal incidents in their area.

The advisory stated that some elements might try to dissipate the atmosphere.

The advisory had also warned all the police stations to watch the activities of those involved in major protests, such as the Anti-CAA-NRC protest, the farmers protest, and those involved in the 2020 Delhi riots.

The special branch of the Delhi Police have also advised all the SHOs of all police stations to take precautionary actions to avoid any type of communal incident in their area.

Furthermore, the special branch also suggested the SHOs make a list of the people who might dissipate the atmosphere after these religious happenings like ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony, Gyanvapi court order, etc.

In its advisory the Police stated that, in the backdrop of the ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony, the issue of Gyanvapi Mosque assumes significance for other communities. The emotional issue is being discussed among the members of other communities in Delhi on social media and in personal spaces.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a Varanasi court fixed February 15 for the hearing of a petition seeking a survey of all closed basements in the Gyanvapi mosque complex by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The matter of plea filed by Rakhi Singh (petitioner) relates to the opening of the remaining ‘Tehkhanas’.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court heard an appeal moved by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee challenging the Varanasi District Court order that allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque.

The court granted time to the Masjid Intezamia Committee of Gyanvapi mosque to amend its pleadings to include a challenge to a January 17 order consequent to which the January 31 order was passed, which permitted the Hindus to conduct prayers within the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque.

The Varanasi district court on January 31 allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque.

The court directed the Varanasi district magistrate to make arrangements within 7 days for ‘puja’ to be performed by the Hindu side and a pujari (priest) nominated by Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust.

After the order of the court, “puja” & “aarti” were performed in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque.