A Varanasi court on Tuesday, 17 May, extended the time granted to the commission appointed for conducting a survey of the disputed Gyanvapi Mosque by two days.
The local court also ordered the removal of the court commissioner, Ajay Mishra, from the case for leaking information from the survey to the media. Mishra had earlier been accused of bias in the case. The remaining two members of the court-appointed commission will submit the report of the survey conducted at the mosque.
The Gyanvapi Mosque survey report is not complete, Special Commissioner Advocate Vishal Singh had said earlier on Tuesday, adding that more time will be sought from the court for submitting the report.
"Survey lasted for 3 days from May 14-16. Only 50 percent report ready, not complete yet, which is why won't be able to produce it before the court today. We will seek 3-4 days' time from court," Assistant Court Commissioner Ajay Pratap Singh was earlier quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The court-mandated survey work of the disputed Gyanvapi Mosque complex, which had been conducted for three days, was completed on Monday. The report of the examination was earlier scheduled to be submitted to the court in a hearing on Tuesday.
Petitioners Claim 'Shivling' Found at Mosque, Management Committee Says It Was Fountain Structure
After the videography survey of the mosque ended on Monday, the counsel representing the petitioners' side claimed that a Shivling had been found after water was drained out of a pond in the complex. The Varanasi district court subsequently ordered the district magistrate to seal the area where the alleged Shivling had been found and prohibited the entry of any person to the area.
On the other hand, the mosque management committee member challenged the claim, saying that the object found was part of the water fountain mechanism at the wazookhana, adding that the mosque management was not given a chance to present their argument before the court, which issued the order to seal the area based on the claims made by the petitioners.
Notably, the petitioners have filed a fresh plea before the civil judge asking for a new survey of the area around where the alleged Shivling been found.
What Is the Case?
The location of Gyanvapi Mosque in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi is adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. It is believed that it was built in the 17th century after the demolition of an existing Vishweshwar temple.
Some are of the opinion that the original lingam of the erstwhile Vishweshwar temple was hidden away in the adjoining Gyanvapi well during a raid by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
The court, in April this year, ordered a video inspection of the site after five women affiliated with the right-wing group Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh filed petitions saying they were entitled to have daily darshan, puja, and perform rituals at the site of Maa Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman, and other "visible and invisible deities within old temple complex."
However, the survey could not take place as the mosque committee opposed videography inside the mosque, accused Advocate Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra of bias, and demanded his replacement.
The Varanasi court on Thursday, 12 May, ordered that the survey work will continue, and instead of replacing Mishra, appointed two more lawyers – Vishal Kumar Singh and Ajay Singh – to accompany him. The survey work had begun on Saturday.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)