Gyanvapi Cellar: Mulayam govt stopped puja due to vote bank, says Maurya

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday hit out at the then Mulayam Singh Yadav government for stopping puja at the Gyanvapi mosque’s southern cellar, also known as Vyasji Ka Tehkhana, in 1993 due to vote-bank politics.

This is the same cellar in which the Varanasi district court by an order of January 31 allowed the performance of puja. The worship by priests designated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust began during the wee hours on February 1.

“Not only people of Kashi but those all over the country are familiar with the way Mulayam Singh Yadav government had stopped worship in the basement of Vyasji in Gyanvapi in 1993 under a conspiracy,” Maurya said at the inauguration of a two-day symposium organised by Shri Guru Vashishtha Trust at a hotel in Sushant Golf City in Lucknow.

“After Ayodhya, now Har Har Mahadev is happening in Mahadev’s city Kashi as well,” he added.

“Once our government was formed in 2017, we could have started puja, but we maintained decorum. Shiva devotees also showed restraint, went to the court, got orders from there and started worshipping Mahadev. Owing to this, not only us but all the people of the world, who believe in Sanatan Dharma, got equal happiness,” he further said.

Referring to Guru Vashishtha (one of the most revered Vedic rishis or sages), Maurya said Lord Ram was the disciple of Shri Guru Vashishtha Ji, and finally, after five centuries, he (Lord Ram) has returned to his abode with the Pran Pratishtha (held on January 22). “This is a matter of pride for all of us,” he said.

“On January 22, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi consecrated Lord Ram in the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, my heart was filled with joy. Lakhs of karsewaks had pledged to sacrifice everything, hundreds of them even sacrificed their lives,” he added.

He further said India is now regaining its glory under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Every Indian is happy with this, he said.

“Our reputation is also continuously being enhanced all over the world. Today we are making our mark as a global leader,” he added.