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Police stopped Swami Avimukteshwarananda at Sri Vidya Math on Saturday while he was leaving to offer prayers at the 'Shivling' in Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi.
Reportedly, the Hindu saint had declared to offer prayers at the 'Shivling' for June 4 in Gyanvapi. "We will abide by the court's decision but will God remain hungry and thirsty till the court's decision? We filed a review petition (for permission to pray) but got no response from the police," said Swami Avimukteshwarananda. He also informed that a letter was sent to the deputy commissioner regarding the same. "I sent the petition to the commissioner from my own mobile and sent my man along with the letter to the office of the deputy commissioner. I have proof. I will sit here, have food only after puja," he added. This comes in the wake of the Gyanvapi Mosque case. Five women had filed a petition in the court seeking permission for daily worship at the Shringar Gauri temple, which was allegedly situated inside the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi mosque premises. The Hindu side has claimed that a Shivling (a representation of Lord Shiva) was discovered inside the mosque premises and the Muslim side claimed that the structure was part of the fountain at the mosque's wuzu khana area. The Muslim side has argued that the plea is not maintainable as the Places of Worship Act 1991 prohibits conversion of any place of worship and mandates the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. Varanasi District Court deferred the hearing on the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee's plea challenging the maintainability of a suit filed by Hindu women, according to a lawyer representing the petitioner women till July 4. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for Hindu women, said that matter has been deferred till July 4. (ANI)
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