In a groundbreaking decision, an Indian court has granted permission for Hindu worshippers to conduct prayers inside the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, marking a significant development in a longstanding religious dispute.
Built in the 17th century by the Mughal empire, the Gyanvapi mosque stands as one of several Islamic places of worship that Hindu activists, supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party, have strived to reclaim over the decades. The city, known for Hindu cremation rituals along the Ganges river, has been at the center of this sensitive religious issue.
The court ruling specifically allows Hindu worshippers, who believe the mosque replaced a temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, access to the building’s basement for prayers. District authorities have been instructed to make the necessary arrangements within the next seven days to facilitate worshippers.
This decision follows a recent survey by India’s official archaeological agency, suggesting that the Gyanvapi site might have originally housed a temple. The assertion has emboldened right-wing Hindu groups who claim that several Muslim worship sites were constructed atop ancient temples during Mughal rule.
In a related event, Prime Minister Modi oversaw the grand inauguration of a Hindu temple in Ayodhya last week, built on the grounds that once hosted the Babri mosque. The mosque’s destruction in 1992, orchestrated by members of Modi’s party, led to sectarian riots claiming 2,000 lives, predominantly Muslims.
The legal battle over the Babri site concluded in 2019 with India’s top court permitting the construction of a temple dedicated to the deity Ram, believed to have been born in the city according to Hindu scriptures. Modi’s party often characterizes the period of Muslim rule under the Mughal emperors as a “time of slavery.”
Describing the opening of the Ayodhya temple as “the advent of a new era,” Prime Minister Modi has faced growing calls for India to uphold Hindu supremacy since taking office in 2014. This has raised concerns among the approximately 210-million-strong Muslim minority, heightening anxiety about their future in the country.
