Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): As the third day of the court-ordered videography survey of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi concluded on Monday, the Hindu petitioner in the case, Sohan Lal Arya claimed that the committee found a Shivling at the complex. Arya, who accompanied the court commission for the mosque survey, said that they have found a 'conclusive evidence'.
"Shivling....Jiski Nandi pratiksha kar rahi thi... The moment things became clear the chants of 'Har Har Mahavdev' resonated in mosque premises," he claimed.
The survey was conducted in accordance with the Varanasi Civil Court's order to continue the survey despite objections from the mosque authorities. After the conclusion of the survey, the Varanasi court ordered the District Magistrate of Varanasi, Kaushal Raj Sharma, "to seal the area where the Shivling was found and to bar people from going to the place."
In its order, the court said that the DM, police commissioner and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandant Varanasi will be responsible for the security of the sealed area. The civil court had appointed a court commissioner to conduct the survey and videography of the site and the same was challenged before Allahabad High Court, which dismissed the appeal on April 21, which was further challenged in the apex court.
Read: Gyanvapi Mosque survey concludes on third day
Five women had filed a petition in the court seeking permission for daily worship at the Shringar Gauri temple, which is claimed to be situated inside the Gyanvapi Mosque premises. The order of the civil court for undertaking survey and videography at the premises was subsequently given by the court.
Another petition, which was filed by one Vijay Shankar Rastogi, had contended that the entire premises belonged to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and that the Gyanvapi Mosque is only a part of the temple complex, is also pending in the court since 1991. Rastogi had also claimed that the Kashi Vishwanath Temple had been built over two thousand years ago and the temple was demolished by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Advocate Vishal Singh, the Court-appointed special assistant commissioner, in Varanasi, said that the survey was conducted in an unhindered manner.
Commissioner of Police Varanasi, Satish Ganesh thanked the people of Kashi for their cooperation during the three-day survey, and said, "We spoke with all stakeholders and reached a consensus that it's important to follow court's order. We also cleared people's misconceptions and worked on confidence building. The three-day survey has ended."
Meanwhile, in an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, the President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Alok Kumar said that the court will take a final and legitimate decision on the matter. "They have found a Shiv ling, it has a circumference of about 8 feet. The survey was done in presence of both parties, their lawyers as well as the police and administrative officers. There is no basis for anyone to challenge the findings," he said. Further affirming that the truth will come out soon, the VHP president said that the entire survey is filmed and is available as a video evidence.
He expressed the hope that all the people of the country would accept and respect this well substantiated evidence found during the survey in Gyanvapi. He further informed that the court of law has preserved and sealed the Shivling quarter of Gyanvapi to ensure no tampering and messing about there. He expressed confidence that this subject would reach its logical conclusion.
“We had said that we would wait for the verdict of the court of law till the construction of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi temple. Now under changed circumstances, we will place this matter before the revered Sant Fraternity in the meeting of our Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal scheduled in Haridwar on June 11-12, 2022”, he said.
Reacting to AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi's allegation of the survey being illegal under the 1991 Act, Kumar said, "There was a temple at that place even after 1947 and everyone knows this. In such a situation, it cannot be said that the 1991 Act is being violated. All parties should respect the order of the court."
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