Varanasi: The Varanasi Court has given permission for the Archaeological Department to carry out an investigation at the Gyanwabi Mosque located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and the investigation began there this morning.
Inspection of 40 people inside the mosque: Uttar Pradesh police have been deployed in the surrounding areas where the Gyanwabi Masjid is located. There are currently 40 people inside the mosque, including archeology officials, the four Hindu women who filed the case, their lawyers, and the Gyanwabi Masjid management team.
On behalf of the mosque administration, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court and the investigation has started today. Earlier yesterday, the officials of the Department of Archeology arrived in Varanasi.
Meanwhile The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee did not participate in the study. In this regard, its joint secretary SM Yasin said, “We are ignoring the archaeological survey. Neither we nor our lawyers are going to participate in this survey.”
Case Background: Kashi Vishwanath Temple is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Adjacent to this temple is the Gyanwabi Mosque. In 2021, 5 Hindu women filed a petition in the Varanasi district court seeking permission to worship Goddess Singhara Gauri located on the wall of the mosque.
After hearing this, the court ordered a field survey to be conducted at Gyanwabi Mosque. According to this, an inspection was conducted in the mosque and a report was filed in the court. It stated that there is a Shivalingam in the middle of the Osukana of the mosque.
In this context, a petition was filed in Varanasi District Court on behalf of 4 Hindu women demanding that the Archeological Department of India conduct a survey of the Gyanwabi Masjid. In the hearing on this petition, on behalf of the Hindu women, they said, “Kianwabi Mosque has been built on the temple of Aadi Visweswar. To confirm this, an archeological survey should be conducted at the Gyanwabi Masjid,” they argued.
When the administration of the Gyanwabi Mosque said, “The mosque was not built on any place of worship”. Both parties’ arguments ended on the 14th. In this context, the Varanasi District Court said, “The Archeological Department of India should conduct a scientific field survey of the Gyanwabi Mosque in Varanasi. Research should not be conducted only in the Osugana region. No damage should be done to the mosque during the inspection. Prayers can be conducted while studying. The Department of Archeology should submit a report by August 4. In this case, the investigation started this morning.
