NEW DELHI: Hindu parties contesting the origins of the Gyanvyapi Mosque have moved the Supreme Court and submitted an application before it, seeking a direction for the ASI to carry out a detailed survey of the object found in the mosque’s fountain, which they claim to be a Shivling.
The plea is likely to come up for a hearing very soon in the Apex court, as lawyers involved in the case have informed this newspaper.
In their petition filed before the Top Court, the Hindu parties have also claimed that the alleged structure of the Shivling holds no religious significance for Muslims. The Hindu parties further state that it is merely a fountain, as per the Masjid committee.
The application of the Hindu Parties seeks a direction from the Apex Court that it should issue appropriate instructions to the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) for a detailed survey, as it is necessary to determine the original source of the Shivling.
“We seek an ASI scientific survey of the Shivling, the area around it, including the walls and the entire sealed area. The ASI survey is crucial to ascertain the Shivling’s original source,” states the application of the Hindu party filed before the Supreme Court.
In one of its previous orders, the bench of the Supreme Court, presided over by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, and also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, had allowed and permitted the ASI to survey the mosque premises using non-invasive technology, except for the alleged Shivling structure. Subsequently, in its survey, the ASI prima facie found that the mosque was indeed built above a Hindu ancient temple.
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