Gyanvapi: ASI survey underway at mosque complex on Day 2 after Supreme Court order

Gyanvapi survey: The officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) are conducting the day 2 survey at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi Saturday (August 5).

The survey began at 9 am today amid tight security around the complex. ASI survey of Gyanvapi will be done in two shifts. The first half of survey went on till 12 noon. The break was taken from 12 noon to 1 pm. The survey will continue till 5 pm.

The officials installed dial test indicators at all four corners of the Gyanvapi campus to measure the surface. They measured different parts of the campus using a depth micrometer and recorded the shape of the premises. The contours of the entire complex are drawn on paper. Coding of the campus and its area has also been done in the first half of the survey on day 2.

A total of 41 members of ASI are present in the Gyanvapi campus who are divided into 4 teams.

A team of ASI is surveying the outer part of the campus, another team is surveying the place where prayer (Namaz) is offered inside the campus. A team is surveying the dome with the help of the stairs carried inside the premises while the fourth team is surveying the western wall.

All the teams are doing photography along with the survey. Evidence of the help of some machines is also being collected. The distances of the walls and pillars of the mosque of Gyanvapi are also being measured. The number of pillars in each block is also being counted.

The Muslim side, which skipped the first day of the survey, is also taking part on the second day. From the Muslim side, Secretary and Mufti Shahar Abdul Batin Nomani, Joint Secretary SM Ikhlas Ahmed, Mumtaz, and Care Taker Shamsher were present.

The plaintiff women and their lawyers are present on the premises. 

According to the officials, adequate security arrangements have been made on the way to the Gyanvapi complex in view of the survey.

The Muslim side had approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the survey. The top court on Friday allowed the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and dismissed the plea.

The Supreme Court said that ASI has clarified that the entire survey would be completed without any excavation and without causing any damage to the structure.

One of the lawyers for Anjuman Committee, Mumtaz Ahmad said that the Muslim side is supporting the survey.

Reacting to the statement, Shankar Jain, lawyer of Hindu side, said that the other side is joining the survey because of the court order.

"They (Muslim side) are not supporting us. They are here because of the court order. They fought in three courts, when they couldn't win, they are participating," Vishnu Shankar Jain said.

In the meantime, the Hindu plaintiffs in anticipation of the appeal on Thursday have lodged a caveat or a notice submitted to an appellate court by a litigant who wishes to be heard in case any orders are issued regarding an opponent's appeal that challenges the decision or judgment made by the lower court.

In its order passed earlier in day on Thursday, the high court dismissed the plea moved by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging the order passed by Varanasi district court directing the Archaeological Survey of India to survey the barricaded area of the mosque premises, barring the sealed area.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Pritinkar Diwakar of the high court brushed aside the Mosque Committee’s apprehensions that the survey may result in damage to the structure. "The survey is required to do justice. Survey needs to be done with few conditions. Do survey, but without dredging," it said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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