Gyanvapi Complex (Left), Petitioner on the Hindu side, Rekha Pathak offering prayers (Right)
Amid the ongoing survey of the Gyanvapi complex by the Archaeological Survey of India, Petitioner on the Hindu side of the case, Rekha Pathak offered prayers at her residence in hope of the submission of the Gyanvapi complex survey report on the deadline, on November 27.
Speaking to media Pathak said, “We are praying to God that our report be submitted today. The further course of action will begin only when the report is submitted. We want the process to begin at the earliest. The survey of the ‘Shivling’ found in Wazukhana also be done.”
“In the last hearing, the judge said that the last date for the submission of the report would be on November 28. We are very hopeful that the report will be in our favour,” Rekha Pathak added.
The Varanasi District Judge had granted the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) a 10-day time to file its report pertaining to the Gyanvapi complex Survey.
The Court had earlier asked it to submit its survey report by November 17. Later ASI was granted time till November 28 to file its report.
The deadline for the scientific survey report of Gyanvapi complex premises ends on November 27 and the ASI is now expected to submit the report at the Varanasi district court.
The survey has been held for 100 days, during which the ASI has asked for several extensions.
The survey had concluded almost a month ago and the ASI had sought extra time to file its report. The last extension was on November 18, when the ASI asked for another 15 days. The court had allowed it 10 days.
The ASI had been conducting the survey since August 4 on the complex premises. It leaves out the Wuzukhana area, which has been sealed by the orders of the Supreme Court.
On November 2, the ASI told the court it had “completed” the survey but would need some more time to compile the report, along with the details of the equipment used in the survey.
The court had granted additional time till November 17 for submitting the document.
The survey was ordered by a Varanasi court on July 21, following a petition by four women who sought permission to pray at the Shringar Gauri Shrine which is behind the western wall of the temple.
Earlier, in August this year, the Allahabad High Court allowed the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey of the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi.
However, the court, on November 24, granted four weeks’ additional time to the ASI to complete the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi complex.
The ASI was granted time till October 6, 2023, to complete the survey and submit the report.
The Allahabad High Court dismissed a plea filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, challenging the ASI survey of the complex adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.
The scientific survey of the complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, excluding ‘wuzukhana’, began on August 4, following the Allahabad High Court’s order, allowing the ASI to conduct the survey to determine if the 17th-century complex was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
Though the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee moved the Supreme Court, challenging the Allahabad High Court order, the top court declined to stay the scientific survey of the complex by the ASI.
(with inputs from ANI)
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