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Singh and four other Hindu plaintiffs filed a case in the Varanasi court in August 2021, claiming the right to daily worship at the Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. (photo: PTI/file)
The Hindu side had petitioned the case, seeking a direction for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to survey the entire Gyanvabi mosque complex.
The Varanasi Court on Friday allowed a scientific survey of the Gyanvabi Mosque premises except for the ‘Wazukhana’ area. The court was hearing a petition asking for a scientific survey, including carbon dating, to determine the age of a “shiffling” believed to have been found at the Jianfabi mosque.
The AK Vishvesh Court upheld the petition by a group of Hindu devotees who sought a scientific survey to ascertain whether the mosque was constructed on the site of a Hindu temple. However, a fortified ‘wazukhana’, where there is a structure which Hindu litigants claim is a ‘shivling’, will not be included in the survey.
The mosque authorities confirmed that the building is in fact part of a fountain in the “Wazkhana”, where ablutions are performed before prayer.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will conduct the survey and submit the final report by August 4. The next hearing will be on August 4.
The Hindu side had lodged a petition in the case, seeking a direction for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to survey the entire Gyanvabi mosque complex.
Vishnu Shankar Jain, a lawyer representing the Hindu side, welcomed the matter and said, “The survey will be conducted. We will give a warning if the Muslim side applies to the Allahabad High Court or Supreme Court.”
Lawyer Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi also praised the application, which he described as a “turning point” in the case, telling News18: “Our application for the ASI poll has been accepted. It is a turning point in the case.”
After the final hearing of the case by the Varanasi Court on 14 July, Jains said they sought a thorough archaeological and scientific investigation of the entire Gyanvapi complex, with the exception of the ‘wazukhana’.
In his arguments Jain maintained that the resolution of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Gyanvapi Mosque dispute hinged on an archaeological investigation of the entire mosque complex.
According to Jin, the examination of the three domes of the Jianfabi complex, along with the western wall and the entire complex in a modern way, can clarify the situation.
He said that during the court proceedings, the Islamic side expressed concerns that an archaeological survey could damage the complex. In response, the Hindu side called for a modern investigative approach that would avoid any damage to the buildings.
Previously, in May, the Islamic side had objected to a petition asking ASI to clear the entire Gianvabi Mosque complex. On May 12, the Allahabad High Court ordered that the age of the allegedly ‘Shivling’ structure be determined using modern technology. Subsequently, following the Allahabad High Court order, Varanasi District Court agreed to hear the petition to conduct ASI survey of the entire premises of the mosque on 16 May.
After hearing arguments from both parties last week, the court reserved its ruling on July 21.
(with input from PTI)
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