Supreme Court refuses to stop Gyanvapi Mosque survey

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stop the Gyanvapi Mosque survey. This comes after the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee approached the apex court seeking direction to put a stay on the survey of the Mosque complex, which is adjacent to the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi mentioned […]

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stop the Gyanvapi Mosque survey. This comes after the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee approached the apex court seeking direction to put a stay on the survey of the Mosque complex, which is adjacent to the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asking to order status quo in the case pending before the Varanasi civil court.

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The bench, however, refused to grant status quo in the case saying that it was not aware of what the issue was, as it had not seen the papers.

“We have not seen the papers. We don’t even know what is the matter. I don’t know anything… how can I pass an order. I will read and then pass orders… let me see,” said the CJI.

Ahmadi appearing for the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee that manages the Gyanvapi mosque sought an order of the status quo saying, “Survey has been directed in relation to Varanasi property. This is covered by the Places of Worship Act. Now the Court has ordered Commissioner to conduct a survey.” The Varanasi civil court had directed a survey to inspect, conduct videography and collect evidence regarding the alleged existence of Hindu deities inside the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

On May 12 the court said that the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque will continue despite objections from mosque authorities.

The local court had earlier directed the authorities to submit a report by May 10, however, the survey could not take place as the mosque committee had opposed videography inside the mosque.

The civil court had appointed a court commissioner to conduct a survey and videography of the site and the same was challenged before Allahabad High Court which dismissed the appeal on April 21.

Five women had filed a petition in the court seeking permission for daily worship at the Shringar Gauri temple, which was allegedly situated inside the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi Mosque premises.

The order of the civil court for undertaking survey and videography at the premises came on their petition.

Another petition was filed by one Vijay Shankar Rastogi, who had contended that the entire premises belonged to the Kashi Vishwanath and that the Gyanvapi Mosque was only a part of the temple, which had also been pending in the court since 1991.

Rastogi had claimed that the Kashi Vishwanath Temple had been built over two thousand years ago and the temple had been demolished by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.