New Delhi: The Hindu side on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the director general of the Archaeological Survey of India for determining the nature of Shivalingam within the sealed area of the Gyanvapi mosque.
The petitioners, who moved the apex court through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, also sought a direction to ASI to undertake a survey of the entire sealed area by excavation and using other scientific methods and submit a report within the time provided by the apex court.
The plea said the area of Shivalingam has been surrounded by raising artificial walls which are modern construction unconnected with the original building, and also the area has no religious significance for Muslims as according to them there is an alleged fountain. “It is relevant to mention that the said modern construction has been purposefully done to hide the original features associated with the Shivalingam such as Peeth, Pithika, etc.”, the plea stated.
The Hindu side said the ASI can conduct a scientific survey of the entire sealed area including the Shivalingam establish truth in the matter. The plea said the Shivalingam found on May 16, 2022, is an object of worship for Hindus and devotees of Lord Shiva and the plaintiffs and the Hindus, in general, have every right to have darshan and perform Pooja of Shivalingam found on May 16, 2022. The apex court in May 2022, had directed for the sealing of the area where Shivalingam was found.
The petitioners said that the survey of the entire premises of the mosque has been conducted except the sealed area by ASI and now it is necessary that the sealed area be also surveyed, otherwise the purpose of the survey would be frustrated as there will be no report of ASI regarding the area sealed.
The ASI survey report of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, which was made public on January 25, has kicked off a fresh wave of controversy. The report has printed photos of fragments of what appear to be statues of Hindu deities and other iconography within the mosque complex. The ASI report concluded that it can be said there existed a Hindu temple prior to the construction of the existing structure, that is the mosque.
