National Desk, 4th August: A team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) arrived at the Gyanvapi mosque premises in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday morning to conduct a scientific survey of the complex. The survey has started under tight security measures.
The Allahabad High Court granted permission to the ASI on Thursday to carry out the survey, dismissing the plea filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which opposed the ASI’s survey of the mosque complex adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.
Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, the advocate representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case, informed ANI that all individuals, including ASI officials, have reached the site and the survey has commenced.
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee had challenged the order of the Varanasi District Judge issued on July 21. The district judge had ordered the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi complex based on an application submitted by four Hindu women on May 16, 2023.
The Wuzu Khana (ablution pond area) of the complex was sealed per the Supreme Court’s decision, although this was not included in the district judge’s order.
During a recent hearing on the matter, the Allahabad High Court had instructed the ASI not to start the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi. The Supreme Court had temporarily suspended the ASI’s detailed scientific survey until 5 pm on July 26. The survey aims to determine if the mosque was built on the site of a temple near the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.
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