Varanasi (UP), Aug 5: The ASI on Saturday resumed its scientific survey work at the Gyanvapi mosque here to determine whether the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.Rajesh Mishra, a government attorney who accompanied the ASI survey team throughout the day-long exercise the day before, stated on Saturday that the team’s workday began in the morning and ended at 5 o’clock.
The Allahabad High Court’s ruling regarding the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque, which the Muslim side claims will “reopen wounds from the past,” was not overturned by the Supreme Court on Friday.
However, the ASI was instructed by the bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justices J B Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra not to engage in any intrusive behaviour while conducting the survey.The Varanasi court had stated that excavations could be done if necessary, but that was now out of the question.
The thorough scientific survey that the Varanasi district court had ordered on July 21 was resumed by an ASI team just hours before the Supreme Court gave its approval on Friday.
The Allahabad High Court dismissed the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee’s plea on Thursday after it had contested the district court’s judgement there. The Muslim group hurriedly made its way to the Supreme Court after that.
The Varanasi court extended the deadline for the survey from Friday to September 4 by giving the ASI an additional month to finish it.
