Adversitement
Supreme Court Temporarily Halts ASI Survey at Varanasi's Gyanvapi Mosque
Published On : 2023-07-24T22:46:32+0530 [ IST ] |
Author : Mayur_Tembhare
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Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, | Image Courtesy : Adobe Stock
India / New Delhi :
The Supreme Court has taken the decision to temporarily suspend the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) survey at Varanasi's Gyanvapi Mosque for a period of two days. The mosque's management committee had approached the court with apprehensions that the survey might result in excavation at the historically significant mosque complex, situated adjacent to the iconic temple" target="_blank">Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.
Assuring the court, the center emphasized that the survey plan would encompass only measurement, photography, and radar studies, and no changes to the structure were intended. Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, provided this assurance during the court proceedings.
"It appears that ASI is not contemplating carrying out any excavation in pursuance of the order. We record the statement to the extent that no excavation at the site is contemplated at this stage for a period of one week until next week Monday," stated Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, accepting the center's submissions on record.
The Gyanvapi Mosque had gained national attention in 2021 when a group of Hindu women sought permission from an Uttar Pradesh court to worship deities within the Gyanvapi complex. A video survey of the complex was subsequently ordered by a lower court, during which an object resembling a shivling was discovered. Some individuals claimed it to be a shivling, while the mosque management committee maintained that it was part of a fountain in the wazookhana (pool) used for hand and foot washing before prayers.
Taking into account the sensitivity of the issue, the Supreme Court sealed off the wazookhana (pool) area.
Earlier this year, the Allahabad High Court rejected the mosque committee's petition challenging the maintainability of the request to worship Hindu deities found inside the premises. This ruling paved the way for a Varanasi court's decision to allow an ASI survey within the mosque complex, excluding the pool area.
The issue remains contentious and subject to further legal scrutiny as the court seeks to balance the concerns of all parties involved. The two-day suspension of the survey aims to assess the situation carefully before proceeding with any further actions.
NoneTags : Kashi Vishwanath Temple , Supreme Court , ASI survey , excavation , Varanasi , Hindu deities , Gyanvapi Mosque , mosque's management committee , wazookhana , sensitivity , legal scrutiny. ,
Summary : The Supreme Court has put a two-day hold on the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) survey at Varanasi's Gyanvapi Mosque. The mosque's management committee expressed concerns that the survey might lead to excavation within the historic mosque complex, situated next to the renowned temple" target="_blank">Kashi Vishwanath Temple. However, the center assured the court that the survey would involve only measurement, photography, and radar studies, with no intention of altering the structure. The court acknowledged the center's submissions and confirmed that no excavation would take place for a week until next Monday.
Adversitement