On the day of Sawan Shivratri, that fell on Friday, over 500 Muslims protested outside Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, refusing to offer Namaz inside the mosque due to the construction of an entry gate.
The protest led to a scuffle between the police and the demonstrators, prompting City Mufti Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani to stage a sit-in. Approximately 150 worshippers who had entered Gyanvapi Mosque boycotted the Namaz in solidarity.
The controversy began on Thursday when the administration decided to construct a new temporary gate for Gyanvapi Mosque worshippers, adjacent to Gate No. 4 of Kashi Vishwanath Dham. Worshippers objected, calling it an unwelcome tradition, leading the administration to retract the decision. However, the door frame of the gate had already been constructed, with a promise to remove it by Thursday night.
On Friday afternoon, Muslim worshippers arrived to offer Namaz and, upon seeing the door frame still in place, began protesting. The city Mufti warned the administration that if the gate frame is not removed by next Friday (August 9), Namaz would be boycotted again. Following this ultimatum, the protestors dispersed.
City Mufti Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani emphasized that any new work within the Gyanvapi campus should be conducted with the consent of the mosque committee. “The mosque committee was not informed about the gate installation, which led to the opposition,” he said.
Administrative officials argued that the gate was being installed for the security of the mosque and the worshippers. However, the protestors believed that the gate would cause inconvenience and prevent proper observance of Namaz.
Mufti Nomani stated that the DCP of Gyanvapi Security assured that no action would be taken without the mosque committee's agreement. However, the Mufti insisted on written assurance, which the DCP could not provide. “The protest will continue until the door frame is removed, with the next steps to be decided after a mosque committee meeting,” he said.
The Mufti also highlighted that any new work in the Gyanvapi area complex requires the consent of the Masjid Committee, Anjuman Intezamia, and Temple Trust. He accused the administration of trying to prevent the Muslim community from entering the mosque and reducing their numbers by potentially locking the separate gate.
As the situation develops, the administration has been given a deadline of August 9 to remove the door frame, and the mosque committee will continue to oppose any unilateral actions taken without their consent.
