Varanasi: After the Allahabad High Court allowed the Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) to conduct a scientific survey at the Gyanvapi premises, a team from the ASI arrived at the Varanasi temple to determine whether the 17th-century mosque has been constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
On Thursday, the high court, upholding a district court order, observed that the proposed survey is "necessary in the interest of justice" and will benefit both sides. The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee which is managing the mosque located adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple has moved the Supreme Court against the judgement.
On the resumption of survey, Varanasi District Collector S Rajalingam said the ASI has sought assistance from the administration to start the survey from Friday. Detailed discussions were held with the Varanasi Police Commissioner on security during the survey and that the district administration is fully prepared to start the work.
Also read-Allahabad HC allows ASI survey of Gyanvapi mosque dismissing Masjid's plea fearing structural damage
The apprehension of the Muslim body is that the structures of the Gyanvapi mosque will be damaged during to the survey. The bench of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker which heard the petition challenging the district court order of mandating the ASI survey disallowed the petition and upheld that the order is just and proper, and no interference from the high court is warranted.
"There is no reason to not believe the ASI's assurance that the survey will not cause any damage to the structure, it said, asserting that no digging should be done on the mosque premises," the orders read. "In the opinion of the Court, the scientific survey/investigation proposed is necessary in the interest of justice and shall benefit the plaintiffs and defendants alike and come in aid of the trial court to arrive at a just decision. The (trial) court was justified in passing the impugned order," the bench ruled.
