Gyanvapi case: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which conducted a scientific survey of the contentious Gyanvapi mosque premises in Varanasi, was likely to submit the report in the district court today (November 17).
According to the lawyers of the litigants, ASI has completed the survey, which continued for over 100 days. The report could be submitted to the district court in a sealed cover on Friday. The court had initially directed the ASI to submit the report in September but the latter sought extension stating that the work was unfinished.
The court then directed the ASI to submit the report by November 17. The ASI, during the survey, which started on August 4, used ground penetrating radar and other scientific instruments to ascertain what lay beneath the surface of the Gyanvapi premises.
The ASI team also surveyed the inner and outer walls, the cellar and other parts of the premises barring the 'wuzukhana' (the place where the Muslims wash themselves before proceeding to offer prayers).
The survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises began after the Allahabad High Court rejected the petition filed by the Muslim litigants seeking a stay on the Varanasi court's order for a survey by ASI. The premises has been a bone of contention between the two communities for the past several decades, but there was a renewed clamour to take back the Kashi Vishwanath temple premises by the saffron outfits after the favourable decision of the apex court in the Ram Janmabhoomi case.
The Hindu petitioners contended that a part of the temple had been demolished by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century. The Muslim side contended that the mosque existed even before the reign of Aurangzeb and also claimed that the same had also been mentioned in the land records.
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The ASI is carrying out a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, next to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing temple.
The ASI survey began in the month of July after the Allahabad High Court upheld a Varanasi district court order and ruled that the step is necessary in the interest of justice and will benefit both the Hindu and Muslim sides.
The mosque committee had also moved the Supreme Court against the high court's order. The apex court had on August 4 refused to stay the high court's order on the ASI survey. In its order, the apex court, however, asked the ASI not to carry out any invasive act during the survey.
The ASI has been granted till November 6 (Monday) to complete the survey of the mosque complex. Meanwhile, District Government Counsel Mishra said that a petition regarding handing over of keys of a basement at the Gyanvapi mosque complex to the Varanasi district magistrate was filed in the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) Nitesh Kumar Sinha in September.
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