New Delhi: The long wall and circular shrine discovered during the excavation at the disputed site in Ayodhya, was part of a Hindu temple and not of an Idgah Masjid or Kannati Masjid,” said KK Muhammed, former regional director - North, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Muhammed spoke on 2 crucial aspects in the Ayodhya dispute—archaeological evidence and corroborated literary evidence.

Muhammed, who was on the team that carried out the digging, rubbished Muslim parties’ claims before the SC that the “long wall” found during the excavations by the ASI was scientifically examined. “Archaeology is a science and ASI is an independent agency, and it submitted a scientific report to the Allahabad High Court. If the wall were to be an Idgah or part of an Islamic structure, then how will you explain the recovery of terracotta (sculptures of god and goddesses) and ‘makara pranali’, the image of a crocodile, which is a symbol of river Ganga. These are not part of Islamic culture,” Muhammed told IANS.

-By Sumit Saxena