May 05, 2025 03:05 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Pahalgam fallout: India suspends Pakistan I&B minister Ataullah Tarar's X account | India bans all imports from Pakistan in Pahalgam terror attack fallout | Yunus aide threatens Bangladesh would occupy North East states if India attacks Pakistan | Pahalgam aftermath: Pakistan test-fires ballistic missile with 450-km range amid escalation in tension with India | 'Your govt stands at a historic crossroads': Tejashwi Yadav to PM Modi on caste census move | Pahalgam attack: Supreme Court stays deportation of PoK-born man, his family with Indian passports | Cops charge OTT show's host Ajaz Khan, producer Rajkymar Pandey over 'sex positions' viral clip | 7.4 magnitude earthquake strikes off coast of Chile and Argentina, tsunami warning issued | PM Modi inaugurates Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala worth Rs. 8,800 crore | 'Many will get their sleep disturbed': Modi's veiled jibe at Congress over Shashi Tharoor, Pinarayi Vijayan's presence at Kerala event
Gyanvapi
Photo caption: A file picture of Police personnel deployed at the survey site of Gyanvapi in Varanasi in May last year. UNI

Gyanvapi Mosque survey put on hold till Wednesday following Supreme Court's direction

| @indiablooms | Jul 24, 2023, at 06:28 pm

New Delhi/Varanasi: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the district court order of conducting a survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at Varanasi's Gyanvapi Mosque until 5 pm on Wednesday.

The mosque's management committee had approached the centre with apprehensions that the survey may lead to excavation at the historic mosque complex that is located right next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi, reports NDTV.

However, the Centre assured that the survey would not alter the structure.

Heavy security arrangements were made in the city for the survey.

On July 21, the Varanasi district court ordered the ASI to undertake a 'scientific survey' of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and submit a report by Aug 4.

District Court Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesha came up with the order after hearing the arguments of the counsels from the Hindu and Muslim sides.

Special Government Counsel Rajesh Mishra earlier said the court ordered the ASI to survey the Gyanvapi complex, excluding the Wazookhana that was sealed after a Shivling-like structure was found there last year.

The court had ordered that the report will be submitted by August 4 and put up for further proceedings on the same day.

It may be noted that four women plaintiffs had earlier moved an application before the court with the prayer that the Director of ASI is directed to undertake a scientific investigation, survey and excavation at the property in question, excluding the areas sealed under the orders of the SC.

It was prayed by the plaintiffs that a glorious, magnificent temple of Lord Shiva existed at the site in question which was destroyed by invaders.

"Aurangzeb, one of the Mughal Emperors issued Farman in 1669 AD to demolish the temple of Adivisheshwar at Varanasi and in pursuance of the said command issued by the ruler, his subordinates demolished the aforesaid temple and informed him regarding compliance of his order," the application reads.

The counsels of the Muslim side had earlier objected to the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi complex by the ASI, stating that the excavation inside the complex may damage the structures.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Close menu