Question is if right to worship at Qutub is established and if there is a denial: Court

Taking note of ASI's stand that "Qutub Minar is not a place of worship and that the existing status of the monument cannot be altered," a Delhi court reserved the order for June 9 on a plea seeking restoration of deities at the monument.

"What is the legal right? Question is if the right to worship is an established right and if there is any denial of a right. Assuming it was invaded, demolished, some structure raised, let us assume it was not being used by Muslims as a mosque, the important question is, on what basis can you now claim it be restored. Now you want this monument to be turned into a temple calling it restoration, my question is how would you claim a legal right assuming it existed about 800 years back?" the judge observed during the hearing.

The ADJ added in a lighter vein that "deity survived for the last 800 years without worship. Let it survive like that" while agreeing that the "existence of idols is not in dispute".