A Varanasi court on Saturday fixed January 24 for deciding whether to make public the sealed Archeological Survey of India (ASI) report on the Gyanvapi mosque complex and provide copies to parties.
The order to this effect was given by District Judge A K Vishvesh, Madan Mohan Yadav, counsel for the Hindu side, said, reported PTI.
The court said it will decide the issue after the hearing in the matter before the Civil Judge Senior Division Fast Track Court takes place, which is scheduled to take up the matter on January 19.
What is the controversy?
The district court in Varanasi on July 21 had ordered a scientific survey of the Mosque complex to ascertain whether it was “constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple”, except the wazukhana area, or ablution area. The wazukhana was sealed after a Supreme Court order. Hindu litigants said that it was a “Shivling”, while Muslim litigants said that is a “fountain”.
The court said that the survey proceedings be videographed.
The Gyanvapi mosque stands next to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. According to historical records, it was built in the 17th century on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after destroying the original Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The present temple was subsequently built next to the mosque on the orders of Queen Ahilya Bai Holkar in the lare 18th century. The decades-long litigation around the mosque has gained momentum over the last year after five Hindu women sought right to worship Maa Shrinagar Gauri on the outer wall of the mosque complex.
