Gyanvapi Case: A district court in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi is set to hear the petitions from the Hindu side today in the Gyanvapi Mosque case. The Hindu side has demanded an evidence room to preserve the evidence collected during the ASI survey, to reserve the premises of the Gyanvapi, and objections by the Muslim side regarding the use of machines and equipment used by the ASI to conduct the survey.
Speaking on the case, Hindu Side Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi said that the main point in the hearing today is pertaining to the evidence collected by the ASI during the survey. He claimed that the survey would not be concluded in 4 weeks and that the court should give a clear verdict on these issues.
"Our main point in today's hearing is that the evidence collected by the ASI during the survey should be kept in an evidence room... Secondly, Plaintiff 1 has asked to reserve the premises, there will be a hearing on that too... Thirdly, the Muslim side has raised various objections regarding the debris... The ASI has given an affidavit there the survey will not cause any damage... The premises are full of debris and it is causing hindrance to the survey... The Muslim side agreed to remove the debris but now they are not allowing it on the spot... There is a hearing on these multiple points in the district court today... We don't think the survey would be concluded in 4 weeks... The court should give a clear verdict to resolve these issues," Chaturvedi said, as quoted by ANI.
ASI Seeks 8-Week Extension For Complex Survey
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which has been tasked with conducting a survey in the Gyanvapi complex, has sought an extension of eight weeks from the Varanasi court after the conclusion of previous four-week deadline for completion of the survey. Previously, lawyers for Hindu litigants suggested that ASI may seek more time to submit the preliminary report emphasising that the survey is still ongoing.
Sudhir Tripathi, an advocate representing the Hindu side, voiced concerns about the survey's status, stating, "ASI may give a primary report but they should not submit the final report yet as the survey is incomplete. After lunch, the court will hear the matter. There is a possibility that ASI may ask for more time from the court," Tripathi told ANI. Shubhash Nandan Chaturvedi, another lawyer representing Hindu litigants, concurred that the survey's completion is uncertain and ASI might request an extension of the deadline.
The scientific survey of the complex, adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, commenced on August 4, following the Allahabad High Court's order, which permitted ASI to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over the remains of a pre-existing Hindu temple. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, also representing the Hindu side, ruled out the possibility of an out-of-court settlement in the Gyanvapi Mosque dispute, citing legal constraints.