The Allahabad High Court has deferred the hearing of a contentious plea concerning the survey of the Wazukhana area inside the Gyanvapi mosque until November 8. This decision postpones discussions over the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) involvement in examining the site, located adjacent to the revered Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.
The petition, initiated by Rakhi Singh, challenges an earlier ruling by a Varanasi district judge in October 2023, which denied the request for an ASI-led survey of the mosque’s ablution area. This area is at the heart of a dispute, with the Hindu community identifying a structure within it as a Shivling, while the Muslim community describes it as a fountain.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal presided over the proceedings, where the civil revision filed by Singh was discussed. Singh, also a plaintiff in the ongoing Sringar Gauri worship suit in Varanasi, advocates for a non-invasive survey method that respects the Supreme Court’s guidance and avoids disturbing the disputed structure.
The opposing viewpoint was represented by the Anjuman Intezamia Committee of the Gyanvapi mosque, which has previously submitted a counter-affidavit arguing that the Varanasi district judge’s decision aligns with the Supreme Court’s stay on matters concerning the disputed area. The mosque committee, represented by advocate SFA Naqvi, contends that the high court should respect the apex court’s interim orders.
This legal battle follows an earlier ASI scientific survey commissioned by the Varanasi district judge to explore the historical layers beneath the mosque, investigating whether it was constructed over a pre-existing Hindu temple.
