Amid Gyanvapi row, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat asks 'Why look for Shivling in every Masjid?'

As political debates continue over the Gyanvapi row, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said there was no need to look for Shivlings in every mosque and escalate a controversy. He also said that the matter is ongoing, history cannot be changed and neither today's Hindus nor today's Muslims created it.

While addressing a concluding ceremony of an organisation training programme in Nagpur, the RSS chief said, "Gyanvapi matter is ongoing. Can't change history. Neither today's Hindus nor today's Muslims created it. It happened at that time. Islam came from outside via attackers. In the attacks, Devsthans were demolished to exhaust the morale of those who wanted India's independence."

"Issues raised over places in which Hindus have a special devotion. Hindus don't think against Muslims. Ancestors of today's Muslims were Hindus too. It was done to keep them forever devoid of independence&suppress morale. So Hindus feel they(religious places)should be restored," he added. 

Mohan Bhagwat further said, "If there are issues in mind, it rises. It is not against anyone. It should not be considered like that. Muslims should not consider it like that & Hindus too should not do that either. There is something like that, find out a path through mutual agreement. A path does not always come out. People approach the court, and if it is done then whatever the court decides should be accepted. We should abide by the decisions, considering our judicial system pious & the supreme. We should not question its decisions."

'Why look for a Shivling in every masjid?': RSS chief 

"We had special devotion towards some places & we spoke about them but we shouldn't bring out a new matter daily. Why should we escalate the dispute? We have devotion towards Gyanvapi and doing something as per that, it's alright. But why look for a Shivling in every masjid?" the RSS chief added. 

"That too is a form of worship, it is alright if it has come from the outside but the Muslims who adopted it have no relation to the outside. This should be understood. If they want to continue with their form of worship, then it is alright. We have no opposition against any form of worship, we accept them all & consider all of them holy. They may have adopted that form of worship but they are descendants of our rishis, munis, and Kshatriyas. We are descendants of the same ancestors," Bhagwat added. 

Gyanvapi survey

On May 20, the Supreme Court order transferred the suit on the Gyanvapi Masjid dispute from the civil judge (senior division) Varanasi to the district judge owing to the sensitivity of the case. Hearing a plea filed by a group of Hindu women that have sought year-long access to offer prayers at a Hindu shrine, a Varanasi Court on Thursday allowed the videographic survey of Gyanvapi mosque premises, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Guidelines for continuing the video survey of the mosque were issued by Varanasi’s Civil Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar and it was further announced that it will be held by May 17. 

Earlier on April 18, 2021, a group of Delhi-based women moved the court with their plea and had also sought to stop the opponents from damaging the idols. On April 26, the court of Civil Judge of Varanasi ordered videography by the advocate commissioner of the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi mosque complex and other places after Eid and to submit a report by May 10.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Gyanvapi mosque survey controversy dates back to 1991 when local priests filed a number of petitions in Varanasi district court seeking permission to worship in the Gyanvapi complex. The petitioners contended that a part of the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir was demolished in the 17th century and Gyanvapi Masjid was built on the orders of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.