Supreme Court Grants Permission For Cleaning Gyanvapi Complex's Water Tank Where 'Shivling' Was Found

The Supreme Court has granted permission for the cleaning of the water tank in the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, following a plea by Hindu women plaintiffs.

Subsequently, the water tank, located in a sealed area, will undergo cleaning under the supervision of the Varanasi district magistrate.

The court's decision came after Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, requested permission for the cleaning process, citing the presence of dead fish in the tank.

Also Read: Supreme Court Stays Allahabad HC Order For Survey Of Shahi Idgah Mosque In Mathura

It's important to note that the order by the bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also acknowledged a similar plea filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, the mosque's management body, before a Varanasi district court.

In July 2023, the Varanasi district court had directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a comprehensive scientific survey, including excavations if necessary, to determine if the mosque, situated next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, was built on a temple site.

However, the Supreme Court's order had clarified that the mosque's 'wazukhana' (a reservoir for ritual ablutions), which houses a structure claimed to be a 'Shivling' by Hindu litigants, would not be part of the survey.

The contentious site has been a subject of legal disputes, with Hindu activists asserting that a temple existed at the location and was allegedly demolished in the seventeenth century under the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Also Read: After Ahmedabad-Surat-Mumbai, 'Bullet Train' For Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai: Report