Gyanvapi mosque survey report not ready, Commission to seek more time from court

The Varanasi court-appointed advocate commissioner, who led the videography and survey work inside the Gyanvapi Mosque, which was adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, in Varanasi, will seek more time for submission of his report to the court as there were ''hundreds of pictures and hours of videos'' to be examined.

The court had directed that the report of the videography and survey be submitted by Tuesday.

Assistant advocate commissioner Ajai Singh said that the report was not ready. ''We are still in the process of compiling the survey report....there are hundreds of photographs and hours of videos...making the report will take some more time,'' he said.

Singh said that the Commission would approach the court seeking more time for preparing the report. According to the sources, the Commission could seek three to four days time to submit the report.

Also Read: Court orders sealing area in Gyanvapi Mosque where 'Shivling' found

Sources also said that there were around 1,500 photographs and 13 hours of videos of the survey work, which was undertaken over a period of three days.

The court had ordered a videography and survey inside the mosque premises on petitions moved by five women seeking permission for daily worship at the Shringar Gauri temple, which was allegedly situated inside the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi Mosque premises.

The court a couple of days ago had rejected an application moved by the Muslim contestants seeking to stop the videography survey and remove advocate commissioner Ajai Kumar Mishra, and ordered that the survey and videography would continue.

The court had on Monday ordered the district authorities to 'seal' the place inside the Gyanvapi Mosque after Hindu lawyers claimed that a 'shivling' was found there during the videography and survey at the Mosque premises, which concluded on Monday.

According to the Hindu lawyers, the 'shivling' was found in the well, which was opposite to the mosque and its water was used by the Muslims for the purpose of 'wuzu' (islamic procedure for cleansing of body parts before prayers).

The lawyers representing the Muslims, however, refuted the claim and said that it was a 'fountain' and not a 'shivling'. They also claimed that the Varanasi court did not hear the Muslim lawyers before passing the order to seal the place.

The premises had been a bone of contention between the two communities for the past several decades but there was renewed clamor to ''take back'' the Kashi Vishwanath Temple premises by the saffron outfits after the favourable decision of the apex court in the Ram Temple case. Some saffron leaders had even threatened to demolish what they termed as "blots" on the rich history of Hinduism and said that it must be "removed" without delay.

The Hindus claimed that the Temple had been built by King Vikramadaitya around 2,000 years ago. It was demolished by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb in the 16th century, they claimed.