Opposing the claims made by the petitioners in Varanasi court, the AIMIM chief had said earlier that the Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi Masjid in the middle of the controversy is actually a fountain, and ridiculed the shutting down of the area.
Owaisi pointed out that if the fountain inside the Gyanvapi Masjid is to be considered a Shivling by the court, then “all the fountains of Taj Mahal” should be shut down. He further slammed the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) amid the controversy, which is the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh.
In a hearing conducted on May 17, the Supreme Court had said that Muslims are allowed religious observance inside the mosque, meaning that they can 'perform wuzu khana' - the ritual act of purification before the offering of prayers - at the mosque.
As per ANI reports, Owaisi said, “The Supreme Court order states Muslims are allowed religious observance, which means we can perform 'wuzu' there. It is a fountain. If it happens like this then all fountains of the Taj Mahal must be shut down. BJP wants to take the country back to the 1990s when riots ensued.”
The AIMIM leader had also said that the Muslim community has already “lost” the Babri mosque and that he will not lose another masjid. He had said that the Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi complex is a fountain, and did not back Varanasi court for deciding to seal the area.
Owaisi further questioned the decision of the lower quote for sealing the area of Gyanvapi mosque only on the basis of the claim made by the petitioner alone, since the commission has not submitted the survey report on the matter yet.
The Gyanvapi Masjid row erupted when the lower court ordered a survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex after several women filed a petition seeking the right to offer prayers inside the mosque on claims that there is a temple inside the complex.
(With ANI inputs)
READ | Why is Gyanvapi mosque under scanner? How controversy started
