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New Delhi: The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is set to resume its survey of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi for third day. The court-ordered scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, excluding Wuzu Khana is being carried out to determine if the mosque was built on a pre-existing temple. Lawyers said that the primary stage of the ASI survey was completed and the secondary stage is being conducted today where “machines” including radars are likely to be used.
Uttar Pradesh | A team of ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) arrives at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi on the third day of the survey. pic.twitter.com/X8C7MGbbmq
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 6, 2023
According to ASI officials, the team examined the central hall of the mosque where Namaz is offered on day 2 of the survey on Saturday. The team also surveyed a few basement areas in the complex. Advocate Tauheed Khan for the Muslim side said two lawyers of the Intezamia Masjid Committee accompanied the survey team.
Another lawyer of the Hindu side Subhash Nandan told reporters that the ASI team examined the central hall under the main dome.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is also representing the Hindu side, said ‘tahkhana’ was cleaned’ on day 2 of ASI survey. “Yesterday (Saturday), a detailed study of the western wall was done. The grass in the area from western wall to barricading was removed. The ‘tahkhana’ was cleaned and exhaust is being installed. I pointed out a hollow sound beneath the central dome, it is being investigated. An area beside the central dome, which is covered artificially, was also pointed out. So, investigations are going on. This is a long investigation and it continues gradually,” Jain was quoted as saying in a report by news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side in Gyanvapi mosque complex survey case, says, “…Yesterday, a detailed study of the western wall was done. The grass in the area from western wall to barricading was removed. The ‘tahkhana’ was cleaned and… pic.twitter.com/El3avfCNhS
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 6, 2023
Late on Friday night, joint secretary of the Intezamia Masjid Committee Muhammad Yasin said in a letter that they would cooperate in the survey work, honouring the order of the Supreme Court.
“Keeping in mind the Supreme Court’s orders refusing to stay the survey work, the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid has unanimously decided that while honouring the orders of the Supreme Court, it will cooperate with the ASI in the survey work,” he said.
“It is hoped that the orders of the honourable court will be impartially complied with, and our mosque will not be damaged. Along with this, our religious rights will remain protected as per previous orders of the court,” Yasin said, appealing to people to maintain peace.
A team of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) is assisting the ASI in the survey work.
IIT-K Director Abhay Karandikar told PTI over the phone that a team from the institute’s Earth Sciences department is in Varanasi and Professor Javed N Malik of the department will join soon after returning to the country.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the Allahabad High Court order on the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque, an exercise that the Muslim side says will “reopen wounds of the past”.
Fragments of idols were found in the debris inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex, a lawyer from Hindu side said. Sudhir Tripathi, the lawyer from Hindu side, said he is hopeful that idols will be recovered from the survey.
“Not idols, but fragments of idols have been found in the debris. We are quite hopeful that idols will also be recovered… The Intezamia Masjid Committee is cooperating… they gave the keys which they were not giving earlier,” Sudhir Tripathi said.
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