ASI team starts scientific survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi

Varanasi (UP): The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi premises here on Friday to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple. The survey, which was boycotted by members of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee, began at around 7 am, ASI sources said.

The ASI team members, along with the representatives of the Hindu petitioners to a legal dispute involving the mosque, were present inside the complex under tight security arrangements.

However, representatives of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee, who were to accompany the ASI team for the survey, kept away.

The Hindu side's lawyer Madan Mohan Yadav told PTI that a 43-member ASI team is conducting the survey work.

"As Friday prayers will also be held in the mosque today, the survey work is likely to be completed by 12 noon," he said.

Yadav said the survey work is likely to continue for five-six days.

He added that during this period the plaintiffs of the case Laxmi Singh, Sita Sahu, Rekha Pathak and Manju Vyas along with their lawyers will be present on the spot along with the ASI team.

Rakhi Singh, another litigant in the case, was not present on Friday for the survey. However, her counsel was present.

Syed Mohammad Yasin, secretary of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, told PTI that the lawyers of the Muslim side will not participate in the survey, as the decision to conduct the survey has already been challenged in the Supreme Court.

He said, "The High Court has ordered the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi without any demolition. The Anjuman Intazamiya Masjid had appealed against this order in the Supreme Court on Thursday itself, which is to be heard on Friday. We have informed the senior officials in Varanasi about this".

"Our request was that the survey should be postponed till the order of the apex court. Our advocate from Delhi had also sent a letter to the same effect to the officials here, but after not getting a response, the committee met on Thursday night and decided to abstain from this survey," he added.

The survey began after the Allahabad High Court on Thursday upheld a Varanasi district court order and ruled that the proposed step is "necessary in the interest of justice" and will benefit both sides.

The order came after the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee, representing the Muslim side to the legal dispute, moved the Supreme Court against the Varanasi district court order.

The mosque stands next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.