India: Court greenlights historic decision on Varanasi Mosque

The Allahabad High Court has ignited a contentious religious debate by allowing cases to determine the fate of the historic Gyanvapi mosque, nestled in the holy city of Varanasi.

The decision, emerging from one of India’s most bitter religious disputes, grants Hindu worshippers the opportunity to reclaim the mosque, sparking discussions of national importance.

Constructed in the 17th century under the Muslim Mughal empire’s reign, the Gyanvapi mosque has become a focal point for Hindu activists aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party.

The court, asserting the significance of the issue, directed a lower bench to evaluate petitions regarding the future of the mosque, believed by historians to stand on the ruins of a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva.

Presiding justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal emphasized the gravity of the matter, stating, “It is not a suit between two individual parties. It affects two major communities of the country.”

The decision opens the door for civil suits by Hindus seeking the right to worship at the Gyanvapi site and the restoration of a temple on its premises.

The court has mandated a swift resolution, ordering the lower court to rule on the site’s future within six months. The dispute, labeled a “matter of national importance,” is poised to reshape the religious landscape in Varanasi.

This move comes amid a backdrop of rising claims by right-wing Hindu groups seeking to reclaim Muslim places of worship allegedly built atop ancient temples during Mughal rule.

Memories of the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya loom large, a grim event that triggered sectarian riots claiming over 1,000 lives.

The long-standing legal battle over the Babri Masjid’s site concluded in 2019 with the Supreme Court permitting the construction of a temple dedicated to the deity Ram. Prime Minister Modi, a staunch advocate for the temple, is slated to inaugurate the structure next month, just ahead of the anticipated national elections where he aims for a third term.

Modi’s party, leveraging muscular appeals to the Hindu majority, has solidified its dominance in Indian politics.

As calls for Hindu supremacy gain momentum, the country’s Muslim population, numbering over 210 million, grapples with heightened concerns about their future in a nation undergoing profound religious shifts.