'If you call it mosque, then there will be dispute’ UP CM says on Gyanvapi mosque issue
Says, Proposal should come from Muslims that it was 'historic mistake' and should be fixed
Uttar Pradesh: In a recent statement, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the contentious issue surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi. The Chief Minister asserted that referring to Gyanvapi as a mosque would lead to a dispute due to its close proximity to the ancient Kashi Vishwanath temple. The site has been a subject of debate, as Hindus believe it was built by the Mughals on a pre-existing temple, evident from various Hindu symbols found inside the premises and on its walls.
Chief Minister Adityanath pointed to a trident (trishul) present within the mosque's premises, questioning its relevance in a mosque setting. He emphasized the presence of a jyotirlinga and deities, further adding to the complexity of the situation.
While a Varanasi district court recently ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey to determine the origins of the Gyanvapi mosque, the Muslim side challenged this decision in the Supreme Court. Consequently, the Supreme Court stayed the survey for a day and directed them to approach the Allahabad High Court.
The Allahabad High Court has reserved its verdict until August 3 on the plea against the district court's order for the ASI survey. During the proceedings, the Advocate General for the state, Ajai Mishra, clarified that the Uttar Pradesh government's primary concern is maintaining law and order, and it does not interfere with the ASI's survey.
In the midst of this contentious situation, Chief Minister Adityanath called for a proactive step from the Muslim community. He urged the community to propose a solution to address what he referred to as a 'historic mistake' surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque.
“What a trishul (trident) was doing on the mosque premises. "If we call it a mosque, then it will be a dispute... What is the trident doing there in the mosque? We did not keep it. There is a jyotirlinga and deities are there," he said. The chief minister said that a proposal should come from the Muslim community that a 'historic mistake' was committed and it should be fixed,” Adityanath said during an interview with ANI.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
