UP Dy CM dismisses Owaisi's comments on Gyanvapi row; avers 'he wants to remain in news'

Amid raging debates over the Gyanvapi mosque row, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has now slammed All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his comments on the issue. Pathak on Thursday said that Owaisi "wants to remain in news" by making statements on the Gyanvapi mosque row. Notably, Owaisi has been speaking over the Gyanvapi mosque row criticizing the survey that has been carried out at the mosque following which a 'Shivling' was said to have been discovered inside the complex.

Reacting to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and his comments on the row, UP Dy CM Brajesh Pathak said that Owaisi wanted the spotlight on the news. When asked about the recent views of Owaisi on the Gyanvapi issue, Pathak said, "The AIMIM chief wants to remain in news by making such statements." However, Pathak himself did not comment on the Gyanvapi issue and said the "matter is in court and we will follow the order".

The Dy CM’s comment came after the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the civil court in Varanasi to not proceed with hearing the Gyanvapi case till Friday. Pathak made the comments while in Agra for the inauguration of the 'Hunar Haat'. Pathak and Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurated the 41st ‘Hunar Haat', which provides market exposure and employment opportunities to artisans, craftsmen and traditional culinary experts.

Owaisi's opposition to the Gyanvapi survey

Notably, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has been speaking over the Gyanvapi mosque row criticizing the survey that has been carried out at the mosque following which a 'Shivling' was said to have been discovered inside the complex.

Earlier, the Varanasi court had ordered the area to be sealed further barring people from entering. However, Owaisi while commenting on it called it a "wrong decision". Further comparing the development of the Gyanvapi mosque with the Babri Masjid case, he said that Muslims won't allow what happened in Ayodhya to happen again. He said that Muslims are not ready to lose another mosque after the Babri Masjid.

In a tweet, referring to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya three decades ago and a 1949 incident when idols of Hindu deities surfaced there, Owaisi asked Muslims to take a pledge that they won’t allow its repeat in Varanasi.

(With agency inputs)

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