E-Paper
GYANVAPI CASE: Denial of nod for ASI survey of wazukhana challenged
A petition has been filed before the Allahabad High Court challenging the refusal of the Varanasi district judge to order a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque. The petition argues that the survey is necessary to determine the religious character of the property.
A petition has been moved before the Allahabad high court challenging the Varanasi district judge’s October 21 order refusing to direct the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to undertake a survey of the wazukhana area inside the Gyanvapi mosque.
The petition is likely to come up for hearing before the court soon.
This revision petition has been moved by one Rakhi Singh, who is one of the plaintiffs in the suit seeking the right to regular worship of Shringar Gauri. The suit is pending before the Varanasi court.
Earlier, in her petition before the Varanasi court, which was rejected on October 21, the primary contention raised was that the survey of the wazukhana was necessary to ascertain the religious character of the property in question.
Rejecting her petition, the district judge had observed in his order dated October 21, 2023 that the Supreme Court vide its order dated May 17, 2022 had ordered to duly protect the area where a ‘Shivalinga’ is stated to have been found and therefore, it is not proper to direct the ASI to survey the area, as according to him, it would violate the Supreme Court order. (While the Hindu side describes the structure as Shivlinga, the Muslim side insists it is a fountain).
In her revision petition, Rakhi Singh has stressed that the survey of the wazukhana area is necessary in the interest of justice and it shall benefit the plaintiffs and defendants alike and come in aid of the court to arrive at a just decision in the suit.
