Cleaning of Gyanvapi’s Wazukhana: 40 fish found alive released in tank of another mosque

Forty fish, which were found alive during the cleaning of tank in the sealed Wazukhana (ablution area) of Gyanvapi mosque here on Saturday, were released in the tank of another mosque in the temple town on Sunday, said Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee (AIMC) joint secretary SM Yasin.

After the cleaning of the tank in Wazukhana area, the administration had handed over the alive fish to the AIMC which manages the Gyanvapi mosque.

Following the January 16 order of the Supreme Court, the cleaning of tank (hauz) in the sealed Wazukhana of Gyanvapi mosque here was carried out under the supervision of Varanasi district magistrate S Rajalingam on Saturday amid tight security. It was completed in over three hours in presence of representatives of the plaintiffs and defendant. Videography and photography of entire cleaning work was also carried out.

The plaintiffs’ two counsel Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi and Sudhir Tripathi, and defendant office bearers of AIMC, including its joint secretary SM Yasin, were present during the cleaning work.

The Wazukhan area of the Gyanvapi mosque was sealed at the order of a court in May 2022 after the Hindu side claimed that a ‘Shivlinga’ was found in Wazukhana, whereas the Muslim side called the structure a fountain.

The Supreme Court allowed the plea after Hindu plaintiffs said cleaning of the tank was needed because fish were dead and a foul smell was emitting from the tank. The AIMC also said most fish in the tank were dead and that cleaning was needed to save the fish which are alive.