Fraternity prevails as over 40-yr land dispute between Hindus, Sikhs in Varanasi resolved outside court

Varanasi, Jul 24 (PTI) A dispute over ownership of a 3,500 sq ft plot in Varanasi has been resolved over 40 years after the land was sealed in the aftermath of the 1984 riots as both the sides decided to bury the hatchet without court's intervention.

On Monday, people from both the Hindu and Sikh communities celebrated by distributing sweets and garlanding each other as the lock, symbolising the dissension among them, was opened.

Station House Officer (SHO) of Chaitganj, Dileep Mishra, on Thursday said after "mutual understanding of both sides, the lock of the disputed plot was opened".

The plot in Varanasi's Jagatganj area now prepares to have both a Hanuman temple and a gurudwara.

"The over 40-year-old dispute between the Shri Hanuman Mandir and the Gurudwara has reached an amicable end," Sardar Karan Singh, president of the Gurudwara Management Committee, told PTI.

"The matter concerning the ownership of the approximately 3,500 sq. ft. plot was in court, but it has now been resolved outside the court through mutual agreement." Singh added that both the sides held several meetings after the matter caught the attention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Shyam Naryan Pandey, a representative from the Hindu side, also affirmed the resolution, stating, "The matter has been resolved mutually and the construction work for a Hanuman temple will begin soon." The story of this land goes back to 1980 when a local resident donated the plot in Jagatganj for the construction of a gurdwara and also a temple.

A small gurudwara was soon built, followed by a makeshift temple. However, both parties tried to take possession of the entire plot which disturbed the delicate balance and communal harmony.

The assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984 and the subsequent anti-Sikh riots aggravated the situation.

The dispute took a turn for the worse as the matter ended up in the court room after the then district administration sealed the plot as a preventative measure due to rising tensions.

For over two decades, the issue lay dormant, a forgotten contention. It was only after 2014 that regular court hearings began.

Yet, it wasn't the legal battles but a renewed spirit of collaboration that finally brought a resolution. PTI COR CDN SHS ZMN