In a recent development, a local court in Varanasi has dismissed the plea from the Gyanvapi mosque management committee to halt the ongoing scientific survey of the complex by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
According to District government advocate Rajesh Mishra, the District Judge A K Vishvesh ruled against the petition filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid’s committee. The judge emphasized that the survey had already received approval from both the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court, making it beyond the jurisdiction of the local court to intervene.
The ASI has embarked on a meticulous scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises, situated in close proximity to the revered Kashi Vishwanath temple. This undertaking aims to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed upon the remains of a Hindu temple, a matter of historical and religious significance.
Mishra further disclosed that the mosque management committee contended in the district court that the ASI survey was being conducted in violation of prescribed regulations and should be halted. The committee raised concerns about the absence of prior notification to litigants and the absence of fees associated with the survey.
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The district judge responded by asserting that imposing new conditions on the plaintiffs would not be permissible. The ASI, as a government organization, is undertaking a public service rather than acting as a private entity. Hence, obliging any party to bear the survey expenses would be unjust, the judge remarked during the proceedings.
Mishra reported that the court also entertained a petition from the Hindu side, requesting a survey of the sealed ‘wazukhana’ located within the Gyanvapi complex. A hearing on this matter has been scheduled for October 5.
The initiation of this survey came after the Allahabad High Court upheld a previous Varanasi district court order, deeming the survey “necessary in the interest of justice.” It is worth noting that the survey is expected to serve the interests of both Hindu and Muslim communities involved in the dispute. Despite objections, the Supreme Court declined to stay the order issued by the Allahabad High Court, allowing the ASI to continue its scientific inquiry into the historical context of the Gyanvapi mosque.
This development highlights the ongoing legal and historical debate surrounding this revered site in Varanasi, with parties on both sides awaiting the outcome of the ASI’s comprehensive survey.
