Varanasi: A team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) arrived at the Jiamwapi Mosque in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Monday to conduct a scientific survey of the mosque complex adjoining the Kashi Golden Temple. Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, who represents the Hindu side, said the findings would benefit Hindus. When interviewed by reporters, […]
Post Date – 23rd Mon 24th Jul 08:27am
Varanasi: A team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) arrived at the Jiamwapi Mosque in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Monday to conduct a scientific survey of the mosque complex adjoining the Kashgar Golden Temple.
Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, who represents the Hindu side, said the findings would benefit Hindus.
“We are sure that the whole building is just a temple. The results of the investigation will be in our favour,” Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi told reporters.
“It’s a good thing for us that there will be a Gyanvapi survey today…the survey will start at 7am, it can’t be said how long it will last…” said Sudhir Tripathi, an advocate representing the Hindu side.
On Sunday, the ASI team arrived in Varanasi with all the necessary equipment. Notably, the Varanasi court on Friday directed an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the ‘Wazukhana’ area which has been cordoned off.
“I have been told that my application has been granted and the court has directed an ASI investigation of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the blocked Wazukhana. I think the investigation can be completed within 3 to 6 months,” said Hindu advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain.
Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, representing the Hindu side in the Jawapi case, said the court decision was a turning point in the case.
“Our application for an ASI investigation has been accepted. This is a turning point in the case,” he said.
The court announced its order based on a petition filed by the Hindu side seeking guidance from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific investigation of the entire Jawapi Mosque.
The petition was filed in May this year by five women who had earlier sought permission to pray at the ‘Shringar Gauri Sthal’ inside the shrine complex in a separate request.
A structure claiming to be a Shivling on the Hindu side and a fountain on the Muslim side was also found during a court-commissioned investigation of the mosque near the Kashgar Golden Temple on May 16 last year.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will today hear the mosque management committee’s petition against the Varanasi court order for ASI to investigate the mosque complex.
