News Brief
Gyanvapi Case: ASI's Scientific Survey Report To Be Made Public, Both Sides To Get Hard Copies
Disputed Gyanvapi structure in Varanasi with remnants of a Hindu temple. (Wikimedia Commons)
In a significant development, a Varanasi court has ruled that the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) report on the Gyanvapi Mosque will be made public.
The Varanasi court had ordered the survey to determine whether the mosque was built over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
Subsequently, ASI submitted its report on 19 December after conducting a scientific survey at the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
As reported by Moneycontrol, the agency (ASI) had feared that public disclosure could lead to the spread of rumours and misrepresentation, adversely affecting their ongoing work.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, was quoted by ANI as saying, “Today, the court heard both sides and a consensus was reached that the hard copy of the ASI’s report will be provided to both sides…The ASI objected to providing the report via email. So, both sides agreed to get the hard copy of the report".
Earlier, the cleaning of the 'Wazukhana' area of the Gyanvapi Mosque that is believed to house the sacred 'shivling' was commenced under strict security measures.
