Tourists during their visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. PTI
New Delhi, May 12
On a day a Varanasi court rejected the demand for the removal of advocate commissioner appointed to conduct a video survey of the Gyanvapi mosque and ordered a report by May 17, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition seeking “opening of 22 rooms” on the Taj Mahal premises. It pulled up the petitioner for filing a public interest litigation (PIL) in a “casual manner”.
Don’t make a mockery of PIL
What judgment do you want us to pronounce? Who built the Taj Mahal? Don’t go into historical facts… Do some research first, do MA, PhD, enrol yourself somewhere. Don’t make a mockery of PIL system. Lucknow Bench of Allahabad HC
Gyanvapi survey report by May 17
- A Varanasi court on Thursday rejected plea to replace advocate commissioner appointed to conduct video survey of Gyanvapi mosque
- Appointing two more advocate commissioners, it ordered completion of survey by May 17
- Court told police to lodge FIRs if attempts made to scuttle exercise
- Mosque management had opposed filming inside complex, accusing commissioner of bias
“Tomorrow you will ask for permission to see our chambers. Please do not make a mockery of the PIL system,” the Bench of Justices DK Upadhyay and Subhash Vidyarthi told the lawyer of petitioner Rajneesh Singh, media in-charge of the BJP’s Ayodhya unit.
“What judgment do you want us to pronounce? Who built the Taj Mahal? Don’t go into historical facts... Mandamus can only be issued when rights have been infringed. What rights of yours have been infringed?” the Bench questioned.
To the argument that citizens need to know why multiple rooms are said to be locked due to “security reasons”, the Bench said: “If you are not satisfied that the rooms have been closed for security reasons, use your remedies in law to challenge that. Do some research first, do MA, PhD, enrol yourself somewhere. Don’t make a mockery of this.”
Though Rajneesh Singh said his demand was not to make the monument a temple, but to bring out the truth for the sake of social harmony.
“The only way to end the controversy is by examining the closed rooms,” he told media, adding he would now approach the Supreme Court.
While Hindu right-wing outfits have claimed the Mughal-era monument to be a Shiva temple, BJP MP Diya Kumari said a palace of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family once stood on the land where the Taj Mahal was built and that Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had “occupied” it.
Meanwhile, the BJP hailed the Gyanvapi verdict with spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla calling it “a clear vindication for those who stand by the Constitution”.
“Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress and SM Yasin tried to incite people against the video survey. Will they apologise?” he asked.
Muslim petitioners, who sought the removal of Mishra claiming he was conducting the survey of areas not specified in the order, are now expected to approach the higher court. The commissioner recently conducted the survey of some areas outside the masjid, but could not complete it due to protests.
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