Gyanvapi mosque: ASI resumes scientific survey of complex; Muslim side present

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Saturday resumed its scientific survey work at the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi to determine whether the 17th-century masjid was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.

Government counsel Rajesh Mishra, who accompanied the ASI survey team during the day-long exercise a day before, on Saturday said the team started work in the morning and it would end at 5pm. The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee’s advocates also reached Gyanvapi. The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee was earlier boycotted the survey.

“The survey starts at 9am today…It is the second day of the survey…We want people to cooperate in the survey and get it completed as soon as possible…We are showing full cooperation and involvement. They have come at the direction of the Supreme Court. We welcome it. We want the matter to be resolved soon…The survey will clarify everything,” Hindu plaintiffs’ counsel Sudhir Tripathi said.

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”.

The bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, however, asked the ASI not to carry out any invasive act during the survey. This ruled out excavations, which the Varanasi court had said can be conducted if necessary.

The Supreme Court nod on Friday came just hours after an ASI team had already resumed the detailed scientific survey ordered by the Varanasi district court on July 21.

The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee had challenged the district court’s order in the Allahabad High Court, which dismissed its petition on Thursday. The Muslim body then quickly approached the Supreme Court.

On Friday, the Varanasi court also granted the ASI an additional month to complete the survey, extending its original deadline from Friday to September 4.

On Friday, a 41-member team conducted measurement, photography and videography of the barricaded area of the Gyanvapi complex, excluding its sealed area. The team also conducted topography. It collected evidence and prepared a map on a paper sheet. They also examined pillars.

On Saturday, the team will conduct the survey under the three domes and other parts, excluding the sealed area in the Mosque premises.