Gyanvapi Case: In a big setback to the Hindu side, the Varanasi district court on Friday dismissed the plea that sought an additional survey of the disputed Gyanvapi mosque complex. The petitioner's counsel said the verdict would be challenged in the high court. The petition had sought a comprehensive survey by excavation of the entire mosque premises, including the areas excluded in the scientific survey carried out by the ASI last year.

"The court has rejected our application for an additional survey of the protection of the whole Gyanvapi area by the ASI... We will go to the High Court against this decision...within the time limitation, within 30 days," said Advocate Vijay Shankar Rastogi.

He added, "This decision is against the rules and facts. I am upset with this and will go to the upper court and challenge it... According to the order of 8.4.2021, a 5-member committee was to be appointed to the ASI for the survey, in which one person would have been of the minority community and an expert from the central university. All of them had to conduct the ASI survey. The previous survey was done only by the ASI. The High Court had confirmed that the survey was not in compliance with that order (of 8.4.2021)... We will go to the High Court on an immediate basis."

The hearing in the case was completed on October 19 and the court had reserved its verdict. The Muslim side and the Waqf Board had contended the plea saying a second round of survey  would be unjustifiable as the ASI had already carried out its scientific probe.

Prior to this, the Hindu side had submitted before the court that the original place of "Jyotirlinga" was in the centre, under the dome of the current structure, and that the previous survey was incomplete.

(With inputs from agencies)


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