Gyanvapi Mosque Survey Except 'Wazukhana' Area Begun by ASI

On Sunday, 23rd July, 2023, the ASI team reached Varanasi with all the required equipment for the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque Complex adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Temple to begin on Monday. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team reached the site on Monday morning as scheduled.

Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, advocate representing the Hindu side, told reporters that they were confident the entire premise was of a temple only, and he stated that the survey's outcome would be favorable to them.

Sudhir Tripathi, the advocate representing the Hindu side, expressed that the Gyanvapi survey would be conducted on Monday, and he considered it a positive development. He mentioned that the survey would commence at 7 am, but couldn't determine its duration.

Significantly, on Friday, a Varanasi Court issued instructions to carry out an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, with the exception of the 'Wazukhana' area, which has already been sealed.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, mentioned that he was informed about the approval of his application and the court's direction for the ASI survey. However, he clarified that the survey would not include the sealed 'Wazukhana' area. He expressed optimism that the survey could be completed within a timeframe of 3 to 6 months.

The court issued its order in response to a petition submitted by the Hindu side, wherein they requested a "scientific survey" of the complete Gyanvapi mosque premises to be conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The said petition was filed in May of this year by five women who had previously sought permission to pray at the "Shringar Gauri Sthal" within the shrine complex through another plea. During a court-mandated survey of the mosque, conducted on May 16 last year, a structure was discovered that was claimed to be a "Shivling" by the Hindu side and a "fountain" by the Muslim side.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court would be hearing  on a petition filed by the mosque management committee on Monday against the Varanasi court's order for an ASI survey of the mosque complex.

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