Varanasi court rejects Hindu side’s plea for additional ASI survey at Gyanvapi complex

Hindu side's plea for more ASI surveys at Gyanvapi complex rejected by Varanasi court.

A Varanasi court on Friday dismissed the Hindu side’s plea for additional survey by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the Gyanvapi complex. The court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) Fast Track Court, Varanasi, presided by Yugul Shambhu, rejected the plea.

An Aerial view shows Gyanvapi mosque, left, and Kashiviswanath temple on the banks of the river Ganges in Varanasi (AP File)

Advocate Vijay Shankar Rastogi, who had petitioned in the court, said, he would go through the order and then will decide whether he would file a petition against it in the Allahabad High Court or district court.

In February, Rastogi had filed a petition in the fast-track court of the Civil Judge (Senior Division), Varanasi, requesting an order for ASI to conduct a comprehensive survey of the entire Gyanvapi complex.

Rastogi, acting as the next friend of Lord Vishweshwar in the ‘Ancient Idol Swayambhu Lord Vishweshwar and Others Vs. Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee’ case, had said, “We filed an application in the Fast Track court seeking an order for ASI to conduct an extensive survey of the entire Gyanvapi complex.”

In his application, Rastogi asked the court to direct the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific survey of the entire Gyanvapi compound, located on settlement plot number 9130, using archaeological methods, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Geo-Radiology System, and excavation. He requested that all parts of the structure, including the central dome, cellars, gates, and chambers, be surveyed without causing any damage to the existing structure.

Rastogi added that the Gyanvapi compound is located on plot number 9130, which is connected to two adjacent plots, numbered 9131 and 9132, belonging to Lord Adi Vishweshwar.

The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee, responsible for the Gyanvapi Mosque’s management, opposed the plea.

The ASI had conducted a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi premises, located beside the Kashi Vishwanath temple, in accordance with the July 21, 2023 order of the Varanasi district judge to determine if the mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.

The ASI submitted its survey findings in a sealed report to the district court on December 18. The district court furnished a copy each of the ASI report to both sides. The ASI studied architectural remains, exposed features, artefacts, inscriptions, art and sculptures.

The survey was initiated after Hindu petitioners claimed that the 17th-century mosque was constructed atop an earlier temple.