Last year, the ASI conducted a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises to determine whether the structure was built over a pre-existing Hindu temple structure.
Gyanvapi Mosque: A court in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is likely to decide tomorrow whether to make public the sealed ASI investigation report on the Gyanvapi Mosque complex and provide copies to the Hindu and Muslim parties.
On Friday, the court of District Judge AK Vishvesh said that since the order on the matter has not yet been typed, it will be issued on Saturday, said Madan Mohan Yadav, the lawyer for the Hindu side. The opinions of both Hindu and Muslim parties, as well as those of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), were present in the courtroom.
The ASI had on Wednesday urged the court not to make its report public for the next four weeks.
The judge could not hear the case Thursday because he was busy with an event, his office said, adding that the case was then set for Friday.
Gyanvapi ASI survey
Last year, following a district court order dated July 21, the ASI conducted a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi building, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, to determine whether the mosque straddles a pre-existing structure of a building was built. Hindu temple.
The investigation was ordered by the court after the petitioners alleged that the 17th century mosque was built on a pre-existing temple.
On Wednesday, Yadav said the ASI has asked the court for another four weeks before opening the sealed investigation report. The ASI submitted its investigation report to the court in a sealed cover on December 18.
Yadav said the ASI referred to a recent judgment of the Allahabad High Court and urged the court to postpone the opening of the report.
The Allahabad High Court had on December 19 dismissed several pleas from the Muslim side challenging the viability of a lawsuit seeking restoration of a temple where the Gyanvapi Mosque now stands in Varanasi.
“The trial in this case of vital national interest must be completed as quickly as possible, preferably within six months. If necessary, the lower court may direct ASI to conduct further investigation,” the high court had noted.
Yadav said on Thursday that this Supreme Court order is likely to be submitted to the Civil Judge Senior Division Fast Track Court of Varanasi on January 19.
ASI’s counsel Amit Srivastav told the district court judge on Wednesday that the high court in its order had also said that if necessary, the Civil Judge Senior Division Fast Track Court can order a probe into the Gyanvapi complex once again .
If the research report now enters the public domain, a situation of contradiction may arise. Therefore, four weeks should be given to open the investigation report and make it available to the parties, the counsel said.
During the hearing in the court on Wednesday, the Hindu side referred to its plea in the Supreme Court seeking permission to clean the ‘wazu khana’ mosque (used by people for ritual ablutions before offering namaz) as several fish have died.
The Muslim side has objected to this, saying that the ‘wazu khana’ is their property and they should be given the responsibility of cleaning it.
The Hindu side told the court that the ‘wazu khana’ was sealed on the orders of the Supreme Court. The Hindu side also said it should be cleaned by them or by the government.
The matter is also likely to be heard by the court on Saturday, Yadav said.
(With PTI inputs)