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After the purported discovery of a Shivling in the wuzu khana area (ablution pond) of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, pleas seeking worship of the Shivling and demolition of the basement wall of the mosque for further excavation have come up.  

The additional plea from the five Hindu women plaintiffs led by Rakhi Singh sought the court to demolish the basement wall of the Gyanvapi complex to secure more evidence. 

Krishna Janmasthan and Shahi Idgah mosque

The Gyanvapi episode also prompted fresh pleas in Mathura courts seeking entry restrictions on Muslims coming to Shahi Idgah mosque near the Krishna Janmasthan temple complex. 

Pratap Singh, a Mathura resident, appealed to the civil court to seal the Shahi Idgah mosque. He stated that Hindu symbols like lotus, swastika, and sheshnaag had already been removed from the site by the defendants and could be in the process of destroying the remaining evidence. 

Calling the Idgah complex the ‘Garbha griha’ of the Krishna Janmasthan, he said unless remaining Hindu symbols are protected from the site, the character of the property will get altered. The court of the civil judge (senior division) will hear the case on July 1. 

Minister calls for survey in Goa 

On Tuesday, Goa power minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar said during the Portuguese regime in the 15th century several temples were destroyed. He added that if the “Archeological Survey of India, our archives, and archelogy department look into this, there will be remains.”  

He clarified by stating, “I am not saying remains of only Hindu temples, but even that of other religions may be here…if a survey is conducted, 100% they will be found.” 

Meanwhile, speaking on the Gyanvapi mosque issue in Varanasi, Tauqeer Raza, the head of the Ittehad Millat council, said, “The mosques should not be touched. If anything is done forcefully, Muslims will oppose the government.” He added: “Hatemongers will find a Shivling at every mosque in the country with a fountain.”

Image Source: Wikipedia