Gyanvapi Case: ASI Survey To Resume On Day 4 Despite Muslim Side's Boycott Threat

The scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi will continue on Monday morning, led by a team of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) officials. There might be a slight delay today due to it being the fifth Monday of the 'Sawan' month, as mentioned by Sudhir Tripathi, an advocate representing the Hindu side, to news agency ANI.

Tripathi also stated that the survey work is progressing, and the Anjuman Intezamia Committee, responsible for the mosque, is cooperating with the survey.

On Saturday, five members from the Muslim side participated in the survey after having stayed away on Friday. The survey team, accompanied by government counsel Rajesh Mishra, worked from morning until 5 pm, with a break for lunch from 1 pm to 3 pm.

According to ASI officials, the survey will resume again at 8 am on Sunday. During the survey, the team examined the central hall of the mosque, where Namaz is offered, as well as some basement areas in the complex. Advocate Tauheed Khan, representing the Muslim side, mentioned that two lawyers from the Intezamia Masjid Committee accompanied the survey team.

Sudhir Tripathi, the lawyer for the Hindu side, claimed that fragments of idols, not complete idols, have been found in the debris, and he expressed hope that complete idols might also be recovered. He acknowledged the cooperation of the Intezamia Masjid Committee, which provided the keys that they had previously withheld.

Late on Friday night, the joint secretary of the Intezamia Masjid Committee, Muhammad Yasin, released a letter stating that they would cooperate with the survey work, in compliance with the Supreme Court's order. He emphasized the importance of upholding religious rights while ensuring that the mosque is not damaged.

The ASI is receiving assistance in the survey work from a team of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K). The IIT-K team, led by Professor Javed N Malik from the Earth Sciences department, is currently in Varanasi to support the survey.

The Supreme Court, on Friday, rejected the stay on the Allahabad High Court's order regarding the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque. The Muslim side expressed concerns that the survey might reopen painful historical wounds.