Survey of Gyanvapi mosque allowed by the Varanasi court

The Varanasi court on Friday gave permission to an application filed by four Hindu women worshippers, asking for a scientific survey of the entire Gyanvyapi mosque premises by the Archeological survey of India. Petitioners claim existence of a Hindu temple beneath the mosque. The court has asked the the archeological survey of India (ASI) to submit a report by August 4.

"I have been informed that my application has been approved and the court has directed to conduct an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the Wazu tank which has been sealed," Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the petitioners in the case, as reported by NDTV.

The mosque committee had opposed saying that the ASI survey could damage the mosque complex.

"The decision of the court is not acceptable at all, our arguments are being ignored. we will file a petition to the higher court next week" said Maulana Yasin, the joint secretary of the mosque committee as reported by ABP.

Earlier this year the mosque committee had faced a setback after Allahabad High Court had set aside a local court order that went in their favour, stalling any survey of the mosque.