India: ASI resumes scientific survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) resumed the Gyanvapi mosque complex’s scientific survey in the north Indian city of Varanasi to determine if the mosque was actually constructed over a temple.

On Friday (August 4) morning, a team of ASI officials reached inside the premises of the 17th-century mosque and started the scientific survey to find whether any structure of a Hindu temple existed in the same place.

The survey started amid tight security arrangements on the Godaulia-Maidagin route, one day after Allahabad High Court gave its nod to the ASI to conduct the survey.

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"All people (including ASI officials) have reached there. The survey has started. We are also going inside," said Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, the advocate representing the Hindu side on the Gyanvapi case.

At the heart of the case is the contention by a group of Hindu petitioners that there is a 'shivling', a holy structure of the religion, in the mosque complex which they want to worship. The Muslim representatives argue that it is a fountain.

ALSO READ |Explained | The Gyanvapi case, history and battle over Places of Worship Act

HC says survey in ‘interest of justice’

On Thursday (August 3), Allahabad High Court gave ASI permission to conduct a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

"In the opinion of the Court, the scientific survey/investigation proposed is necessary in the interest of justice and shall benefit the plaintiffs and defendants alike and come in aid of the trial court to arrive at a just decision. The (trial) court was justified in passing the impugned order," said the bench, in its 16-page verdict.

Caption: These are the artefacts present in the Gyanvapi premises which werelinked to the Hindu temple during the commissioner survey.

The ruling of the high court has been challenged by the mosque committee in the Supreme Court, a request which will be heard later today.

"Allahabad High Court has said that the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex will start. Sessions court order is upheld by the High Court," said Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi survey case, while speaking to reporters.

WATCH |Gyanvapi survey to continue, rules court; needed in interest of justice

Mosque committee boycotts survey

Muslim body Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee will not be taking part in the survey, just the way it did on July 24 when the survey was put on hold by the Supreme Court.

Committee's joint secretary SM Yasin said that the ASI has been ordered by the High Court to conduct Gyanvapi Masjid’s survey without damaging the mosque.

“The Anjuman Intazamiya Masjid appealed against the order in the Supreme Court on Thursday. Its hearing is fixed for today,” he stated while appealing to the officials to postpone the survey.

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