VARANASI, Jul. 24, 2023 (TBINN)
A survey of Gyanvapi Complex to ascertain if the mosque located next to Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi was built upon a temple was stopped by the Archaeological Survey of India (A.S.I.) today following a Supreme Court’s order.
Apex Court has halted the detailed scientific survey till 5 P.M. on July 26, 2023 saying some breathing time needed to be granted to appeal against the order.
Varanasi Divisional Commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma said the survey work has been stopped in view of the top court’s order.
A 30-member A.S.I. Team entered the Gyanvapi Complex around 7 A.M. to carry out the survey in accordance with a Varanasi court’s order.
After coming out of the mosque complex, Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, one of the counsels of Hindu petitioners in the legal dispute, said the survey work lasted for about four hours.
The entire premise was inspected and measured and four teams were deployed at four corners, he said, adding that the survey proceedings have been recorded by installing four cameras at four corners of the mosque.
The stones and bricks on the premises were also inspected, Chaturvedi said. “We are sure that the entire complex belongs to temple and the result of survey will be in our favour, he added.
Vishnu Shankar Jain, another counsel representing the petitioners, said we will go to High Court and argue on this issue within two days. A wrong statement is being given by the Muslim side that vandalism is being done in the campus, while only measurement and mapping work is being carried out during the survey, he said.
Besides an A.S.I. Team, the lawyers of all the Hindu petitioners were also present at the site, Madan Mohan Yadav, one of the counsels, said.
However, citing Supreme Court’s hearing scheduled for Monday on the order for the survey, lawyers of the Muslim side demanded that the date for exercise be postponed, Madan Mohan said.
Add Comment