Allahabad High Court allows ASI survey to determine Gyanvapi Mosque Case origins amidst mosque committee’s opposition.
New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court has given permission for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to proceed with its investigation to ascertain whether the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi was constructed on the site of a Hindu temple. The mosque, located adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, faced opposition from the Gyanvapi Mosque Case committee regarding the survey.
The High Court upheld the district court’s decision, highlighting its significance in ensuring justice. Consequently, the Varanasi district magistrate has announced that the survey will resume tomorrow.
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ASI Survey Halted by Supreme Court:
Initially ordered on July 21 by a Varanasi court based on a petition by four women, the ASI survey aims to ascertain whether the mosque was constructed after the demolition of a Hindu temple. However, the Supreme Court halted the survey promptly after the mosque committee’s appeal. The committee expressed concerns about the mosque’s age and structural stability, fearing that any excavation might lead to its collapse. They also argued that the survey would violate existing laws governing religious places.
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However, the wazukhana of the mosque, where Hindu litigants claim a shivling exists, will not be included in the survey, as the Supreme Court had previously protected that area within the complex.
Hindu activists have long maintained that a temple existed on the site before being demolished during the 17th century under the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
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