India that is Bharat, is also called ‘Hindustan’. Breakdown of the term will tell you that it is a place where Hindus live. Sadly, the word has very little significance in modern times as Hindus are struggling to get even their basic rights. That is why news of Hindus trying to restore the sanctity of their key Mandirs like Kashi Vishwanath and Krishna Janmabhoomi grabs the headlines.
Survey to restart in Gyanvapi masjid
The Judiciary has removed the restriction on truth. It has opened the doors for full details of Kashi Vishwanath Mandir to come out in open. Now, whatever comes out will have legitimacy as the full process will be Court-monitored and catalysed by technology. A Varanasi Court recently ordered authorities to resume video surveillance of Gyanvapi masjid, located adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Mandir.
Interestingly, earlier, the same Court had passed the orders for inspection. However, it was put on halt since the officials in charge of the survey were accused of having a specific bias. Last month, the Managing Committee of Anjuman Intezamiya Masjid had approached Allahabad High Court, seeking the dismissal of Ajay Kumar as the Advocate Commissioner of the survey. The plea was dismissed.
Read more: Places of Worship Act needs to go and the push needs to come from the government
Delaying tactics did not work
Then the people standing in opposition to the survey approached Varanasi Court for relief. Varanasi’s Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar refused to quash the survey and passed a fresh guideline for conducting it. Under the new guidelines, the survey has to be completed by the 17th of May. If there is any kind of hurdles like locks that need to be opened or the survey team is not being cooperated, then it will be the duty of the district administration to pave the way for an efficient and transparent survey.
Meanwhile, people vouching for stopping the survey approached the Supreme Court. There also, the Court refused to put any halt on the survey.
Plaintiffs want full details to be out
The case was filed by one Rakhi Singh and four other plaintiffs in April last year. The suit seeks a declaration that the plaintiffs were entitled to have daily darshan, and pooja, and perform all rituals relating to Maa Shringar Gauri, Bhagwan Ganesh, Mahabali Hanuman and other “visible and invisible deities within the old temple complex”. The plaintiffs claim that at the back of the western wall of the Gyanvapi Masjid, there existed an image of Bhagwati Shringar Gauri. So, the plaintiffs want unhindered access to the premises of the ancient site.
They also want a direction to be made against the masjid caretakers restraining them from interfering with, restricting or creating an obstacle in the performance of religious activities by the devotees at the site of Adi Vishveshwar along with Bhagwan Ganesh, Mahabali Hanuman, Nandi and other deities. Apart from this, the plaintiffs also sought a direction against the opposite party to refrain from causing any damage to the Murtis.
Read more: Bholenath Hum Aayenge, Mandir Poora Karayenge: Kashi Vishwanath survey begins
Big relief for Krishna Bhakts
In another major development, Hindus fighting for the restoration of Krishna Janmabhoomi have got a fresh sigh of relief. Allahabad High Court has instructed Mathura Court to finish all its proceedings regarding the controversial site within a 4 month period. The case pertains to Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid.
The petition was filed by Manish Yadav, Hindu army chief, Sunni Waqf Board, the opposite party, was not present in the Court. Sensing that the absence could become a regular affair in the original hearing (going in Mathura Court), Allahabad High Court ordered the lower Court to conduct regular hearings, even if the Sunni Waqf Board is not present in the regular hearing.
Masjid is built on the ruins of Krishna Janmabhoomi?
According to the original petition, Shahi Idgah Masjid was built after demolishing a part of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mandir. As reported by TFI, the battle for Krishna Janmabhoomi began with the Mathura Civil Court’s notices to Shahi Idgah masjid’s management committee and others, seeking their stand on the plea for removal of the masjid from the Mandir complex. A plea was filed by a Pujari of Bhagwan Krishna Mandir on behalf of the deity seeking the removal of the illegally built mosque.
The respondents, however, tried to delay the legal battle for the reclamation of the holy land at Mathura atop which the Shahi Masjid, built by tyrant Aurungzeb, stands. In a separate plea filed in Allahabad High Court, lawyer Mahek Maheshwari claimed that “Even on the Government official website of Mathura District, it is stated that Shahi Idgah mosque is built after the demolition of Krishna Janmabhoomi.” He further claims that “Certain architectural elements like carved pillars and antiquities were found in the Mosque courtyard which was recorded by certain workers.”
Read more: Brace yourself, the stage is getting set for the restoration of Krishna Janmabhoomi
Miles to go before we sleep
Kashi Vishwanath and Krishna Janmabhoomi are not the only ones built over the ruins of Mandirs. Virtually, every other Masjid in the country is either situated adjacent to the existing Mandir or even made over on top of that, a lot of times using the same pillars as well. Subramanian Swamy had estimated the total number of such Masjids to be 40,000. Only Ram Janmabhoomi has been able to reclaim its legacy and that too after more than 120 years of struggle.
We live in ‘secular India’. A secular India in which people from the majority religion are often demonised and their religion is prone to disrespect. It has been a rule for way too long. Ram Janmabhoomi opened the floodgates, and now Krishna Janmabhoomi and Kashi Vishwanath Mandir will pave the way for more freedom for Hindus.