After the High Court nod the Archeological Survey Of India (ASI) began a survey at the Gyanvapi mosque premises on Friday. The 40 member team of ASI reached the Gyanvapi premises and started a survey amidst presence of officials of district administration and members of Hindu party and the advocates involved in the case. However the Muslim body of Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee did not participate in the survey. The joint secretary of committee SM Yaseen said that as per the orders of the High Court the ASI has been asked to conduct scientific surveys without causing any damage to the structure. The committee had approached the Supreme Court on Friday but failed to get any relief.
It may be mentioned that the Allahabad High Court on Thursday had upheld the decision of Varanasi district session court for the ASI survey of Gyanvapi premises terming it necessary in the interest of justice.
The counsel for the Hindu party, Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi said that on Friday the ASI conducted a survey in a limited area of the premises. He hoped the survey would continue till next week.
Allahabad court order on August 3
On Thursday (August 3), setting aside the objections of the mosque committee, the Allahabad High Court has allowed the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey in the Gyanvapi premises at Varanasi. On Thursday Justice Preetinkar Diwakar of the single bench of the High Court declined to stay the order of survey.
"Survey is necessary for justice"
The court said that a survey is necessary for justice. Earlier the district session court of Varanasi had ordered ASI to survey the Gyanvapi premises. The Anjuman Intezamia Committee of Gyanvapi mosque management had approached the Supreme Court against this order. The apex court while staying the survey had asked the committee to approach the High Court. The High Court on Thursday rejected the petition of the mosque committee and asked the ASI to carry on with the survey in mosque premises.
Muslim side approaches SC
The Muslim side or the mosque committee, Anjuman Intezamia Committee, approached the Supreme Court against the Allahabad High Court's order allowing the survey by ASI in Gyanvapi mosque premises. "We are hopeful that justice will be done as this mosque is around 600 years old and Muslims have been offering namaz there for the last 600 years. We also want that the Places of Worship Act should be enforced at all places of worship in the country," said AIMPLB member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali on Thursday on the Allahabad HC verdict. The SC will hear Muslim side's plea against the verdict on Friday.
