New Delhi
The Supreme Court will hear today the petition of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi. In the petition, Owaisi has demanded implementation of the Places of Worship law in the country. Owaisi filed the petition on December 17 through advocate Fuzail Ahmed Ayubi.
Demand for strict implementation of the law
In his petition, Owaisi has sought instructions to the Central Government to ensure effective implementation of the law. Owaisi’s lawyer cited that several courts had ordered surveys of mosques on petitions by Hindu litigants. On the other hand, the arguments of the Muslim side demand implementation of the Places of Worship Act of 1991 to maintain communal harmony and the current condition of mosques.
Hindu side challenged the constitutional validity of the law
The Hindu side claims that there were temples at these places before the attack by the invaders. The constitutional validity of the Places of Worship law was challenged in several petitions. Gyanvapi Masjid Management Committee has moved the apex court against this. The committee has listed claims related to Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque near Qutub Minar in Delhi, Kamal Maula Mosque in Madhya Pradesh and other dargahs. The committee says that the petitions challenging the law were filed with the mischievous intention of facilitating lawsuits against these religious places.
Supreme Court ban on new case
On December 12, a bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna heard several petitions and restrained all courts from entertaining fresh suits and passing interim or final orders in pending cases for repossession of religious places, especially mosques and dargahs. Had given. During the hearing, the bench had said that since the matter is sub-judice in this court. Therefore, we understand that no new case should be filed. The Supreme Court has stayed the proceedings of about 18 cases filed by Hindu parties. In these, a survey of 10 mosques including Gyanvapi in Varanasi, Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura and Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal was demanded.
Ashwini Upadhyay also filed a petition
The special bench also included Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice KV Vishwanathan. The bench heard six petitions. In this, a petition is filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay. He has challenged various provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. They argue that the provisions of the law take away the right of an individual or religious group to seek judicial remedies to reclaim their place of worship.
What is the Places of Worship Act?
The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 prohibits any change in the character of any religious place. Under the law, any place of worship will remain exactly as it was on August 15, 1947.
Targeted at BJP government
Asaduddin Owaisi attacked the Uttar Pradesh government. He asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi could show the leaders of Kuwait the police post being built on Waqf land near the mosque in Sambhal. Owaisi alleged that the police post near Jama Masjid in Sambhal is being constructed on Waqf land. However, the District Magistrate rejected this allegation.
