A team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) arrived at the Gyanvapi Mosque on Monday in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, to undertake a thorough examination of the mosque complex, which is close to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The Hindu side’s lawyer, Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, predicted that Hindus will benefit from the survey’s findings. Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi stated to reporters, “We are sure that the whole premise is of temple only. The result of the survey will be favourable to us.”
“Today the Gyanvapi survey will be conducted, it is a good thing for us…the survey will begin at 7 am, can’t say how long it will go on…”, the advocate for Hindu side, Sudhir Tripathi told.
The ASI crew arrived in Varanasi on Sunday with all the necessary tools. Notably, a Varanasi Court ordered an ASI inspection of the Gyanvapi mosque complex to be conducted on Friday, except the sealed “Wazukhana” portion.
“I have been informed that my application has been approved and the court has given directions to conduct an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the Wazukhana which has been sealed. I think the survey can be completed within 3 to 6 months,” stated lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who was speaking on behalf of the Hindu side.
The court’s ruling, according to Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, who also represents the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case, is a turning point in the litigation. “Our application for the ASI survey has been accepted. It is a turning point in the case,” he told.
The court issued its ruling in response to a plea from the Hindu side asking that the Archaeological study of India (ASI) be directed to conduct a “scientific survey” of the entire Gyanvapi mosque grounds.
In May of this year, a petition was submitted by five women who had previously requested permission to pray at the “Shringar Gauri Sthal” within the shrine complex. During a court-ordered survey of the mosque adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple on May 16 last year, a structure was discovered, which the Hindu side claimed to be a “Shivling” and the Muslim side referred to as a “fountain.”
A plea against the Varanasi court’s order for an ASI survey of the mosque complex was submitted by the mosque management committee, and the Supreme Court will hear it today.
