Archaeological Survey Submits Gyanvapi Mosque Survey Report To Court Amid Controversy

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted a scientific survey report regarding the Gyanvapi mosque to a Varanasi court, investigating whether the 17th-century mosque was built over a Hindu temple. The report, submitted as a sealed document on Monday, awaits clarity on whether it will be made public or shared with the involved parties. The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

The dispute involves right-wing groups claiming that a Hindu temple was demolished by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb to make way for the Gyanvapi mosque, situated near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The Varanasi court ordered the survey, upheld by the Allahabad High Court, deeming it “necessary in the interest of justice.”

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While the Muslim side opposes a public report, the Hindu side objects to a sealed one. The Supreme Court, on August 4, refused a stay but directed non-invasive survey methods, excluding certain areas. The mosque management committee had raised concerns about potential structural risks during the survey.

The controversy began in August 2021 when five Hindu women sought permission to pray at the mosque premises, specifically at a shrine behind the temple’s western wall. Simultaneously, the Allahabad High Court reserved judgment on a 1991 petition challenging the maintainability of a suit seeking the restoration of a temple at the Gyanvapi mosque site. The future date for the judgment has not been set yet.