Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque committee has gone to the Supreme Court, challenging a High Court order that gave a go ahead to a “scientific survey” of the mosque complex. The hearing will be held tomorrow. The order by the Allahabad High Court earlier today said a survey by the Archaeological Survey of India was warranted in the interest of justice. Earlier, the Supreme Court had barred any survey inside the mosque complex.
The mosque’s ‘wazukhana’ — where a structure that the petitioners claimed was a ‘shivling’ — will not be within the ambit of the fresh survey in keeping with the Supreme Court order.
The High Court today rejected a plea by the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee, which had challenged the lower court order for a survey.
The High Court directed ASI to “find out” whether the “present structure” has been built over a “pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple” — a claim made by the petitioners in the case.
The Hindu petitioners contend that a temple existed earlier at the site and it was demolished in the 17th Century on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Only a survey, with excavation if necessary, can establish this, they have said.
The survey by the Archaeological Survey of India had started on July 24 following the lower court’s orders. But within hours it was put on hold by the Supreme Court when the mosque committee approached it, arguing that any digging might bring down the 1000-year-old structure.
The committee had also argued that any such survey is in violation of existing laws around religious places.
The High Court’s nod for the survey came after a long wait — the judge had put it on hold till the modality was clear and assurance given that the mosque will not be damaged.
While giving the verdict today, the judge said the lower court’s order was proper and there is no need for interference.
There is also no reason to not believe that the ASI’s assurance that the survey will not cause any damage to the structure, the court said, asserting that no digging should be done on the mosque premises.