The News Freedom
New Delhi, January 16
India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the cleaning of the disputed “wazukhana” area within the Gyanvapi mosque complex, situated in the holy city of Varanasi. The directive comes in response to a plea from the Hindu side seeking to maintain hygiene in the area where a “Shivling” was recently discovered.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued the order following a request from Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, representing the Uttar Pradesh government. The state sought permission to clean the tank due to the presence of dead fish, raising concerns about sanitation.
The Supreme Court acknowledged in its order a similar plea filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, the mosque’s management body, before a Varanasi trial court.
The disputed “wazukhana,” traditionally used for ablutions before prayers, was sealed in May 2022 under a previous Supreme Court directive. This section also houses the contested reservoir, claimed as a “Shivling” by the Hindu petitioners and a fountain by the Muslim side.