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PremiumGyanvapi mosque survey updates: A day after getting clearance from the Allahabad High Court for conducting the survey of Gyanvapi mosque, a team of officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Friday arrived at the complex. The ASI officials will begin the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi today.
Yesterday, the high court dismissed Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee's plea, challenging the ASI survey of the mosque.
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee had challenged the Varanasi District Judge's July 21 order.
On July 21, Varanasi district judge AK Vishvesha ordered the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi complex on an application moved by four Hindu women on May 16, 2023.
The order of the district judge, however, excluded the Wuzu Khana (ablution pond area) of the complex, which has been sealed on the order of the Supreme Court of India.
Hindu activists claim that a temple existed earlier at the mosque's site, and was demolished in the 17th century on the order of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
Catch the latest updates on Gyanvapi mosque's case at Mint's LIVEBLOG:
Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the mosque management committee, contended before a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud the exercise by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is "digging into history", violating the Places of Worship Act and impinging upon fraternity and secularism.
"The ASI survey intends to go into the history as to what happened 500 years ago. It would reopen wounds of past," he said.
A Varanasi court on Friday granted additional four weeks to the Archaeological Survey of India for completing the scientific survey on the Gyanvapi mosque that stands next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The ASI has been asked to conduct scientific survey without resorting to any invasive technique on premises. The SC also took note of ASI submissions that neither any excavation nor any destruction to site will be caused during survey.
Supreme Court has declined to stay the scientific survey by the Archaeological Survey of India of the Gyanvapi mosque premises. The apex court said that the ASI has clarified that the entire survey would be completed without any excavation and without causing any damage to the structure and using non-invasive methodology. Report of ASI shall be remitted to trial court and thereafter abide by directions of district judge, said the CJI.
The Supreme Court said the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court took note of the affidavit of ASI that it is not carrying out any excavation during its survey and no part of wall etc. will be touched.
The Supreme Court has begun hearing a plea filed by the mosque committee against the HC order permitting ASI survey at Gyanvapi premises.
“ASI survey is digging in history, violates Places of Worship Act. It impinges upon fraternity, secularism," the panel said.
A team of over 40 members have resumed the survey at the Gyanvapi premises here to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
In view of Friday prayers, the survey has been halted for two hours between 12 pm and 2 pm.
The ASI survey that started at 7.00 am on Friday with a team of 40 experts, has been stopped for lunch and is scheduled to resume after 02.30 pm.
Sudhir Tripathi, lawyer of the Hindu side, who was present inside Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque complex during the ASI survey, said, "This survey will continue for a long time".
Sudhir Tripathi, a lawyer on the Hindu side said the ASI survey at the Gyanvapi mosque will continue for a longer period. Gyanvapi mosque survey LIVE: Process of ASI survey will take time, says lawyer of the Hindu side
Sudhir Tripathi, a lawyer on the Hindu side said the ASI survey at the Gyanvapi mosque will continue for a longer period.
Amid the ASI survey at the Gyanvapi mosque, Hindu side's lawyer Madan Mohan Yadav said that Friday prayers will be held in the mosque today.
Gyanvapi Mosque Survey LIVE: The Hindu side's lawyer Madan Mohan Yadav said that a 43-member ASI team is conducting the survey work. He said the survey work is likely to continue for five-six days.
The Allahabad high court ordered the ASI director to conduct a detailed scientific investigation by using a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey, excavation, dating method, and other modern techniques of the Gyanvapi mosque to find out whether the same has been constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
The director of the ASI is also directed to conduct the GPR survey just below the three domes of the building in question and conduct the excavation, if required.
Supreme Court will hear the plea by by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee today against Allahabad HC order permitting ASI survey at the Gyanvapi mosque.
The members of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee have boycotted the ASI survey of Gyanvapi mosque. The representatives of the committee who were to accompany the ASI team for the survey abstained from doing so. The committee had challenged the survey of the mosque complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.
The ASI team members, along with the representatives of the Hindu petitioners, reached the complex of Gyanvapi mosque on Friday morning under watertight security arrangements.
Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, Advocate representing the Hindu side on the Gyanvapi case told ANI that, "All people (including ASI officials) have reached there. The survey has started. We are also going inside".
After the Allahabad Court's order, allowing the ASI scientific survey at the Gyanvapi premises in Varanasi, the Muslim body moved the Supreme Court against the verdict.
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee moved the Supreme Court against the judgment on Thursday.
In the Supreme Court, advocate Nizam Pasha mentioned the matter before Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud seeking an urgent hearing.
One of the parties from the Hindu side has also filed a caveat in the apex court saying no orders be passed without hearing them in the matter.
The Uttar Pradesh police personnel were seen outside the Gyanvapi Complex on Friday morning as the Archaeological Survey of India began the scientific survey of the mosque.
The ASI officials started teh work on scientific survey of Gyanvapi mosque premises in UP's Varanasi to determine whether 17th-century structure was constructed over pre-existing structure of Hindu temple.
A team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Friday morning arrrived at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to conduct a scientific survey.
