Gyanvapi mosque built on remains of pre-existing temple, claims Hindu side lawyer citing ASI survey
VARANASI: The ASI survey report on the Gyanvapi complex here suggests that the mosque was built on remains of a pre-existing temple, claimed counsel for the Hindu side Vishnu Shankar Jain on Thursday.
Jain told reporters that copies of the survey report consisting of 839 pages were made available to the parties concerned by the court late Thursday evening. The survey report makes it clear that the mosque was built on remains of a pre-existing temple demolished it in the past, he said.
"The ASI has said that there existed a large Hindu Temple prior to the construction of the existing structure. This is the conclusive finding of the ASI," he claimed.
The advocate also alleged that the survey report has sufficient evidence of the existence of a temple over which the mosque was built.
A total of 11 people, including from both the Hindu and the Muslim sides, earlier in the day applied in the court to get the ASI survey report on the Gyanvapi complex adjoining the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
On January 16, the Supreme Court allowed an application by women Hindu petitioners seeking direction for cleaning the entire area of 'wazukhana' of the Gyanvapi mosque where the alleged 'Shivling' was found and ensuring that the space in question was in a 'hygienic' state.
The area of 'wazukhana' was sealed in 2022 following a Supreme Court order after discovering what was said to be a 'Shivling'.
The structure, which was 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 building located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The 'Wazu' area is at the centre of the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute in the case, with both sides staking claim to the structure discovered during the court-mandated survey.
