IAMC slams court order in Gyanvapi survey; accuses RSS & BJP's involvement in case

Following the sealing of parts of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex amid claims of 'Shivling' being found during a survey, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on Tuesday stated that it strongly condemns the court order. Launching an attack on the court, the IAMC asserted that the Gyanvapi survey case order puts a spotlight on the “rot that infests the Indian judiciary.” The council’s criticism of the Varanasi civil court comes ahead of the court hearing of the final survey report.

The Indian American Muslim Council on Tuesday took to its Twitter handle to criticise the court order issued over the Gyanvapi survey case. Slamming the whole Indian judiciary in the process, the IAMC accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) involvement in the case. The council claimed that the Gyanvapi mosque was on the “hit list” of the Hindu right-wing groups.

“A local court has ordered the authorities to immediately seal a portion of the mosque, literally giving legal cover to the Hindu supremacist drives of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and its militant affiliates,” the IAMC said in a series of tweets. “These Hindu extremist groups have long been targeting and trying to ignite a dispute by manipulating history and falsely claiming that Mughals destroyed a temple to build not only the Gyanvapi mosque but countless other mosques around the country,” the council added, accusing Hindu groups of conspiracy in the case.

“Apart from its explicit communal overtones, the latest court order completely violates the 1991 Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, which prohibits conversion of places of worship from one religion to another, except for the Babri Masjid dispute,” the group claimed. Furthermore, the IAMC also quoted its Executive Director, Rasheed Ahmed who claimed that the case could lead way to a “replay of Babri Masjid”.

“Indian Americans are extremely alarmed by the latest court order, which could potentially pave the way for the replay of Babri Masjid,” Rasheed Ahmed said as quoted by the IAMC. He further accused the ‘Hindu extremist groups’ involved for pushing ‘majoritarian agenda’.  “…this grave injustice by the court is yet another assault on India’s 200 million Muslims," he added.

'Gyanvapi mosque has long been on the hit list of the Hindu rightwing': IAMC chief

Furthermore, he strongly criticised the judiciary and said, “It also puts a spotlight on the rot that infests the Indian judiciary, which is actively facilitating the Hindu right wing’s project of converting India into a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation).” Meanwhile, the IAMC also quoted Syed Ali, President of the council, who said, “Gyanvapi mosque has long been on the hit list of the Hindu rightwing, especially after the favourable judgment given by the Supreme Court in the Babri Masjid case in 2019." The strong criticism of the court order by the council comes ahead of the court’s hearing on the final survey report.

Gyanvapi survey verdict

Listening to a plea filed by a group of Hindu women that have sought year-long access to offer prayers at a Hindu shrine, a Varanasi Court on Thursday allowed the videographic survey of Gyanvapi mosque premises, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. After one of the lawyers surveying the Gyanvapi mosque claimed that a Shivling was found in a well inside the premise, the Varanasi Court issued an order to seal the area and prohibit entry of people in the area. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to hear the mosque management's appeal against the survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on May 17. 

Image: PTI