ASI continues scientific survey of Gyanvapi mosque amid heavy police deployment

A team of officials from the Archaeological Survey of India ASI reached the Gyanvapi mosque on Sunday morning to continue the scientific survey of the complex A heavy police force was also deployed in the area before the ASI teams arrivalLawyers said that the primary stage of the courtordered survey had been completed and the secondary stage would begin on that day involving the use of machines including radarsSubhash Nandan Chaturvedi an advocate representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case said The third day of the survey will begin today The primary stage has finished and the secondary stage will begin today Machineries will also be usedSudhir Tripathi another advocate representing the Hindu side said Today is the third day of the survey Several machines including the Differential Global Positioning System DGPS were used yesterday and there is a possibility that radars might be used today We are satisfied with the survey and the Muslim side has no complaints and they are also cooperatingThe scientific survey of the complex adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple excluding Wuzu Khana began on Friday following the Allahabad High Courts order which allowed the ASI to conduct the survey to determine if the mosque was built on a preexisting templeEarlier on Saturday during the second day of the survey Advocate Tripathi said that the scientific survey would clear everything It is the second day of the survey We want people to cooperate in the survey and get it completed as soon as possible We are showing full cooperation and involvement They have come at the direction of the Supreme Court We welcome it We want the matter to be resolved soon The survey will clarify everything the lawyer saidOn Thursday the Allahabad High Court dismissed the plea filed by the Muslim party Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging the Varanasi court order allowing the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises except the Wazukhana area where a Shivling was claimed to have been found last yearThe Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee had challenged the Varanasi District Judges July 21 orderOn July 21 Varanasi district judge AK Vishvesha ordered the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi complex on an application moved by four Hindu women on May 16 2023The order of the district judge however excluded the Wuzu Khana ablution pond area of the complex which has been sealed on the order of the Supreme CourtEarlier on Friday the Supreme Court declined to stay the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises in VaranasiA bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that ASI has clarified that the entire survey would be completed without any excavation and without causing any damage to the structureThe entire process of the scientific survey shall be concluded with a noninvasive methodology the bench orderedWe reiterate the direction of the High Court that there shall be no excavation said the Supreme CourtThe bench noted that the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court took note of the affidavit of ASI stating that it is not carrying out any excavation during its survey and no part of the wall etc will be touchedThe Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee has challenged the Allahabad High Court order allowing ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premisesDuring the hearing senior advocate Huzefa Ahmad appearing for the mosque committee objected to the survey saying if someone now comes and files a frivolous plea claiming that there is a monument below this structure will the court order ASI surveyTo this CJI DY Chandrachud replied What is frivolous to you is faith to the other sideSolicitor General Tushar Mehta for Uttar Pradesh said ASIs affidavit before the High Court states that no drilling cutting of stone will be done from the existing structure no wall or structure will be damaged and it will be done by the nondestructive methodHuzefa said when you conduct a survey it is like uncovering wounds of the past and that is what the Places of Worship Act sought to injunct You are unraveling wounds of the past here he saidJustice Pardiwala told Huzefa that despite assuring that there will be no harm to the structure you are opposed to the surveyThis survey will be in the form of a report Tomorrow if you succeed on maintainability it will just be a piece of paper Let the survey be undertaken by the ASI Justice Pardiwala saidANI