PRAYAGRAJ: Welcoming the decision by Allahabad High Court to dismiss the Gyanvapi Mosque committee's appeal challenging the Varanasi district court's decision to offer prayers in a cellar in the Gyanvapi mosque complex, Advocate Prabhash Pandey termed it as a "big victory for our Sanatana Dharma."

"The judge dismissed the pleas that the Muslim side had filed against the District Judge's order...It means that the puja will continue as it is. District Magistrate will continue as the receiver of the 'tehkhana'...This is a big victory for our Sanatana Dharma...They (Muslim side) can go for a review of the decision. Puja will continue," the advocate said.

A single judge bench of the High Court comprising Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal quashed a petition filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC).

Another Advocate Hari Shankar Jain also welcomed the decision by the court and said Hindus were performing puja in the Vyas Tehkhana until 1993, but they were stopped unlawfully.

"It is a decision worth welcoming. The right that Hindus have to perform puja has been maintained by the High Court. Hindus were performing puja in the Vyas Tehkhana until 1993, but they were stopped unlawfully. They (the Muslim side) can move Supreme Court, but we are also ready to oppose," he said.

Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi said, "Today, even the High Court accepted that puja and religious rituals used to take place there, and in 1993, without any document or order the religious rituals were stopped...So, the District Court's order was upheld today...The High Court ruled in our favour...The objection of Anjuman Intezamia's (Masjid Committee) has been dismissed by the High Court."

Meanwhile, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, said if the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Commmittee goes to the Supreme Court, we will file our caveat before the Supreme Court.

"Today, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed the first appeal from orders of Anjuman Intezamia which was directed against the order of 17th and 31st January and the effect of the order is that the ongoing puja in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' of Gyanvapi complex will continue. If the Anjuman Intezamia comes to the Supreme Court, we will file our caveat before the SC," he said.

The Allahabad High Court on Monday refused to ban the ongoing puja at Vyas Tehkhana inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex after the completion of the hearing of the appeals challenging the validity of the District Judge's order granting permission for the prayers. The decision was pronounced by a bench headed by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal.