Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by the Gyanvapi committee challenging a district court order directing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey to determine if the mosque was built upon a temple.
The Varanasi district court order was issued on July 21 and was challenged by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, as per PTI report.
Chief Justice Pritinker Diwakar had reserved its order on the committee’s petition on July 27 after hearing the counsels for both parties.
A Varanasi court last month gave its nod to ASI to conduct a survey of the mosque, except the Wazukhana that contains a structure claimed to be a Shivling. The aim of the survey is to determine whether the masjid was built demolishing Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Following this, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee had challenged the Varanasi District Judge’s July 21 order. The Allahabad High Court on Thursday dismissed Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee’s plea.
Meanwhile, reacting to the verdict, AIMPLB member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali said, “We are hopeful that justice will be done as this mosque is around 600 years old and Muslims have been offering namaz there for the last 600 years. We also want that the Places of Worship Act should be enforced at all places of worship in the country. The Muslim side will think about approaching SC challenging this order.”
