The statement from Govind Dev Giri Maharaj came days after the Allahabad High Court denied the stay on the Varanasi Court order that allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque.

The court granted time until February 6 for the Masjid Intezamia Committee of Gyanvapi mosque to amend its pleadings to include a challenge to a January 17 order consequent to which the January 31 order was passed.

The bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Aggarwal said that the mosque side should first challenge the order of January 17, 2024. By this order, District Magistrate Varanasi was appointed as the receiver, and after that, the DM took possession of the Gyanvapi premises on January 23.

After this, the District Court, by an interim order dated January 31, has permitted Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust to perform puja in the basement through a priest.

The court had asked the Masjid Intezamia Committee lawyer SFA Naqvi why the basic order of January 17, 2024, was not challenged.

The committee's lawyer said, "Due to the order of January 31, he had to come immediately. Will also challenge it (the basic order). Because as soon as the order was given, the district magistrate made preparations at night and started the puja within nine hours."

Vishnu Shankar Jain, the Hindu side lawyer, objected to the maintainability of the appeal. He said that the original order had not been challenged. The subordinate court has not granted relief to the plaintiff. The authority has been given to the temple trust.

Meanwhile, on January 31, the Varanasi district court allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque. The court directed the Varanasi district magistrate to make arrangements within seven days for 'puja' to be performed by the Hindu side and a pujari (priest) nominated by Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust.

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