According to the plaintiff, application that led to the October 2023 order did not specifically request a survey of the wuzukhana, a crucial area within the Gyanvapi Mosque compound. This assertion implies that the exclusion of the wuzukhana from the ASI survey was not a considered decision in the original order, but rather an oversight or misinterpretation.
The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday has issued a notice in response to a plea regarding the Gyanvapi Mosque, a matter that has been a focal point of religious and historical debate in India. The notice, directed to the Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee, seeks a response to a request made by the Hindu side for an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination of the mosque’s wuzukhana (ablution pond) area.
Also read- Gyanvapi Case: SC Petitioned To Resume Survey For ‘Shivling’ (lawchakra.in)
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, presiding over the bench, issued this notice based on a revision plea filed by Rakhi Singh, the primary plaintiff in the 2022 Shringar Gauri suit. This suit, which is currently under consideration by a Varanasi court, involves a dispute over worship rights at the Gyanvapi Mosque premises.
The plea by Rakhi Singh calls for the ASI to survey the wuzukhana region of the Gyanvapi Mosque, excluding the area where a Shivalinga is purportedly located. The objective of this survey is to ascertain the religious character of the property within the Gyanvapi compound. Singh’s argument emphasizes the necessity of this survey for both parties involved – the plaintiffs (Hindu side) and the defendants (Muslim side) – asserting that it would aid the court in making a fair judgment in the ongoing 2022 suit.
This request for a survey comes in the context of an earlier district court order dated July 21, 2023, which explicitly excluded the wuzukhana from the ASI’s survey scope in connection with the 2022 suit. Singh contends that the district judge’s October 2023 order, which stated that the exclusion of the wuzukhana area was intentional, was erroneous. She argues that the application leading to the October 2023 order did not seek a survey of this particular area.
The Allahabad High Court’s decision to issue this notice marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal and cultural discourse surrounding the Gyanvapi Mosque. It reflects the complex interplay of historical, religious, and legal factors that continue to shape the narrative around this iconic and contentious site in Varanasi.
Also read- Supreme Court Seeks Formal Application In Gyanvapi Mosque Case (lawchakra.in)
