First hurdle crossed, should not be seen as victory or defeat: VHP on court order in Gyanvapi mosque case

New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Monday termed the Varanasi district court order in the Gyanvapi mosque lawsuit as “very satisfactory”, while stressing that it is not about victory or defeat and should be accepted with "grace and calmness".

The legal battle in the matter has crossed its “first hurdle” with the court’s decision, VHP working president Alok Kumar said.

The reaction of the right wing Hindu outfit came after the Varanasi district court rejected the plea questioning the maintainability of a petition seeking permission for daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque.

District Judge A K Vishvesh held that the court would continue to hear the petition seeking the right to offer prayers there.

The court fixed September 22 as the next date of hearing in the case.

“The Varanasi court’s decision is very satisfactory. The first hurdle has been crossed. The Varanasi court has decided that the Varanasi suit is not injuncted by the Places of Worship Act. The application of the other party has been dismissed,” Kumar said in a video message.

The court will now examine the matter on its merits, he noted.

“We do hope and look forward to a victory….The truth is with us,” he said.

Kumar said the court’s decision should be accepted with "grace and calmness and it should not be interpreted in terms of victory or defeat.

“This a religious and spiritual matter,” he stressed.

Five women had filed the petition seeking permission for daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are claimed to be located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque.

The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee has said the Gyanvapi mosque is a Waqf property and has questioned the maintainability of the plea.

The district judge had last month reserved the order till September 12 in the communally sensitive matter.