Varanasi: A Varanasi court on Wednesday ruled that the ASI survey report on the Gyanvapi mosque that adjoins the Kashi Vishwanath Temple will be given to both sides in the temple-mosque dispute, the counsel for the Hindu litigants said.
The court said the parties shall give an affidavit to keep the report with them and not make it public after getting the report.
The report could be made available after 4 pm, counsel Madan Mohan Yadav said. The order was pronounced by District Judge A K Vishvesh.
The Muslim side had pleaded in the court that the survey report should be with the parties and not be made public.
Earlier on January 16, the Supreme Court allowed an application of Hindu women petitioners seeking direction for cleaning the entire area of ‘wazukhana’ of Gyanvapi mosque where the alleged ‘Shivling’ was found and maintaining hygienic condition.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the area of ‘wazukhana’ shall be cleaned under the supervision of district administration Varanasi, having regard to the previous orders of the apex court.
Gyanvapi mosque management committee said it supports cleaning of the water tank, which has remained sealed on apex court’s orders for nearly two years.
The area of ‘wazukhana’ was sealed in 2022 on a Supreme Court order after the discovery of what was said to be a ‘Shivling’.
A structure — claimed to be a “Shivling” by the Hindu side and a “fountain” by the Muslim side — was found in the mosque premises on May 16, 2022, during a court-mandated survey of the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The ‘Wazu’ area of the Gyanvapi mosque is the centre of the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute between Hindus and Muslim parties in the case since the Hindu parties claim that ‘Shivling’ has been found in that spot, however, the Muslim side disputed the same and said that it is only a water fountain.
