A district court in Varanasi has issued notice in a case filed seeking the “restoration” of a temple at the site of the Gyanvapi Mosque in the city, Bar and Bench has reported.
The suit was filed on behalf of deities, Shiva, Maa Shringar Gauri and Ganesh.
Ten individuals who have filed the suit have alleged that the temple was destroyed on orders of Aurangzeb in 1699.
The court has sought responses from the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government, Varanasi District Magistrate, Varanasi Senior Superintendent of Police, the managers of the mosque, the board of trustees of the adjoining Kashi Vishawanath Temple and the Uttar Pradesh Muslim Personal Law Board.
The suit asks for “restoration of performance of rituals at the principal seat of an Ancient Temple at the Gyanvapi mosque area,” according to the Sabrang report.
The suit reportedly cites Article 25 of the constitution that offers freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
The suits says that the mosque is an “obstacle” to this, it argues that Article 13(1), which notes that all laws existing before the constitution came into force are null void, should ensure that this obstacle no longer exists to prevent the “idol worshipper” from carrying out rituals there.