Gyanvapi Mosque Case: Proposal for out-of-court settlement in Gyanvapi masjid dispute ‘rejected’ | Varanasi News – Times of India

VARANASI: The ongoing Gyanvapi mosque dispute took an intriguing turn as one of the woman plaintiffs, Rakhi Singh, extended an open invitation to the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, Anjuman Intejamia Masajid, proposing an out-of-court settlement. However, this move has met with dissent from the remaining four women plaintiffs who have refused the possibility of such a settlement.

These five women are plaintiffs in suit no 18/2022 Rakhi Singh and others vs state of UP and others and a court-mandated ASI survey is in progress in the same suit to ascertain whether Gyanvapi mosque is standing atop a Hindu temple.
Lawyer of the four women plaintiffs Vishnu Jain on Thursday said that no party can do settlement in the issues of social and national interest. “My clients are not ready for settlement. Land inside barricaded area is of Hindus. Muslim side should seek an apology for using the temple as a mosque. Justice should be done with the property of god”, added Jain.

Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, which is backing plaintiff Rakhi Singh in suit no. 18/2022 in which five women plaintiffs are seeking worship of Shringar Gauri and other deities in the Gyanvapi mosque compound, had on August 14 issued an open letter through the media to AIM for a peaceful out-of-court settlement of the judicial dispute of Gyanvapi with mutual consent.
VVSS has requested the AIM to “accept the invitation with an open and pious mind and come forward for talks to settle the issue”. The VVSS letter states that “the Hindu and the Muslim sides are fighting a legal battle in the court regarding the Gyanvapi campus to prove their right. However, some anti-social elements want to take advantage of this legal fight for their personal gains”.
The letter further contained that “this could be harmful for the country and the society as well. In such a situation, it becomes the duty of all of us to set an example by settling this dispute peacefully through mutual negotiations, taking care of the safety and security of the country and society”.
Responding to this letter AIM general secretary and Mufti-e-Banaras Abdul Batin Nomani and joint secretary SM Yaseen said, “We have received a letter from VVSS, containing the proposal for an out of court settlement. We will table it before our committee for a decision.”