Varanasi: Women petitioners of the Gyanvapi Mosque survey case with police personnel during the third and last day of a videographic survey.
Highlights
- Hindu petitioners in the Gyanvapi Masjid case demanded a fresh survey of the premises.
- The mosque stands near the famed Kashi Vishwanath temple on the western bank of river Ganga.
- One of the petitioners said that this was necessary in order to gather more evidence.
Hindu petitioners in the Gyanvapi Masjid case have demanded from a local Varanasi court to order a fresh survey of the mosque which stands near the famed Kashi Vishwanath temple on the western bank of river Ganga. The petitioners, all women, told the court that both eastern and western side doors of the mosque where the Shivling was found during the recently held video survey at the behest of the court, should be razed.
Sita Sahu, one of the five women petitioners in the case, said that this was necessary in order to gather more evidence.
However, the Muslim side opposed the demand, saying the court commissioner is yet to submit a report on the survey of the premises which was concluded on Monday.
After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its decision. The order is likely to be pronounced at 4 PM.
Gyanvapi Mosque, adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, is currently facing a legal battle. A court in Varanasi last week ordered a survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid to find out the truth behind the claims of the presence of Hindu symbols of worship in the mosque complex. Five women -- Rakhi Singh, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu and others moved the court with their plea on April 18, 2021, seeking permission for daily prayers before the idols of Hindu deities on its outer walls. They also sought to stop the opponents from causing any damage to the idols.
Earlier on Monday, the court had ordered the sealing of a pond in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex after lawyers representing the Hindu side said a Shivling was found there during the court-mandated videography survey.
In another related development, the commission tasked with the videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex in Varanasi has sought two days more time from a local court to submit its report. The court had earlier asked the commission to submit the report by Tuesday.
Also Read: Gyanvapi masjid case: Survey report not ready, team seeks two-day more time from Varanasi court
