Although the Shivling (at Gyanvapi) is protected by the court, it has not barred people from offering prayers to it or perform rituals, the plea said.
New Delhi: A plea filed in the Supreme Court has sought permission for the followers of Lord Shiva to pray at the Shivling which was reportedly found inside the wazukhana or the reservoir inside the Gyanvapi mosque during a survey.
The petitioner, the president of the Shri Krishana Janma Bhumi Mukti Dal, told the court that they would like to carry out their religious practices on the Shivling as guaranteed in the Constitution.
Although the Shivling is protected by the court, it has not barred people from offering prayers to it or perform rituals, the plea said. It added, “Wazu is being performed near the Shivling and it is painful for the followers of Lord Shiva.”
The plea also referred to the Ayodhya case where it was observed that “once a deity is always a deity and a temple, merely on being demolished, shall not lose its character, sanctity or dignity”.
The plea further said, “It has been revealed from various records that the Gyanvapi Mosque was built after demolishing a Shiv temple. The Shivlinga was found on the same premises during the survey. Therefore, being a worshipper, if Shivling is there, the applicant’s rights to worship also survives.”
The mosque was sealed in May by a Varanasi court after it was informed that a Shivling had indeed been found inside the premises during the court-monitored survey. Later, the Supreme Court clarified that the order of the court to protect the area should not restrict the rights of Muslims to offer namaz and perform other religious observances.
