New Delhi, Several prominent Muslim organizations in India, including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), have voiced their concerns over a court decision permitting Hindu worship in a section of the Gyanvapi Masjid, stirring a contentious debate over religious rights and the preservation of historical religious sites.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the reaction follows the Varanasi District Court’s ruling allowing Hindu devotees to perform pooja (prayers) in the mosque’s basement, a decision the AIMPLB’s spokesperson, Dr. Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, labeled as “unacceptable for Muslims.” The organizations have criticized the verdict as flawed and vowed to appeal it at the Allahabad High Court, arguing it undermines Muslim religious freedoms.

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi also condemned the ruling as an infringement on the sanctity of the mosque, describing it as a setback for the Muslim community’s religious liberties. Owaisi assured the AIMIM’s commitment to supporting the Muslim community’s legal battle to overturn the court’s decision.

Additionally, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind raised concerns over a “misleading campaign” and the potential for biased media coverage to exacerbate communal tensions. Deputy Amir Malik Mutasim Khan called for respect towards the Places of Worship Act 1991, urging public restraint from statements that could harm India’s secular and democratic ethos.

The organizations’ united stance underscores the broader apprehensions regarding the court’s decision’s implications for religious harmony and the legal precedents affecting shared religious spaces in India. They emphasize the necessity of legal recourse and dialogue to uphold the principles of truth and justice in resolving such sensitive issues.