Gyanvapi Mosque Case: After Varanasi Court's rejection, Hindu Side to move SC over 'carbon dating' of Shivling

The Hindu side will challenge the district court's verdict on the carbon dating of Shivling in Supreme Court.

A Varanasi district court on Friday rejected the plea seeking carbon dating and scientific investigation of the purported `Shivling` claimed to be found in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Varanasi District Court Judge Ajaya Krishna Vishvesha rejected the plea by the Hindu petitioners citing the Supreme Court's May 17 order, which directed that the object found by the commission had to be protected so that no tampering can be done. The order of the SC will prevail, so the object cannot be opened. The Hindu side had claimed that a 'Shivling' was found in the premises near the 'wazukhana' during the videography survey of the mosque premises, which was ordered by the court. However, the Muslim side said that the structure found was a 'fountain'.

Hindu Petitioners have said that they will move to the Supreme Court against the district court's verdict. "I cannot announce the date as of now, but we`ll soon challenge this order in Supreme Court", said Advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case.

Four of the five Hindu petioners in the Gyanvapi Mosque case had filed a petition seeking carbon dating of a structure inside the Gyanvapi Mosque said to be a Shivling. It was found during the court-ordered videography survey. Carbon dating is a scientific process used commonly in archaeology to understand the age of an object.

The Varanasi court had heard the arguments of the Muslim side earlier in connection with the case. The Gyanvapi Mosque committee has opposed the plea for carbon dating.

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14 October 2022

18:24 IST

Hindu Side to move SC and HC over demand of 'carbon dating'

Advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the side in the Gyanvapi case, "Court has rejected our demand of seeking carbon dating. We`ll move to Supreme Court against this order and challenge it there. I cannot announce the date as of now, but we`ll soon challenge this order in Supreme Court."Another lawyer of the Hindu side Madan Mohan Yadav said, "Though the court has rejected the demand of seeking carbon dating, the option of going to the High Court is available and the Hindu side will place their point before the High Court as well.

18:22 IST

The Varanasi court further added, "It would not be proper to order the survey of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and by giving such order the age, nature, and structure of the said Shivling is known, even this does not imply the possibility of a just solution".

16:57 IST

Hindu petitioners said that they would study the verdict and then decide whether to approach the high court.

15:55 IST

Varanasi District Court Judge Ajaya Krishna Vishvesha rejected the plea by the Hindu petitioners citing the Supreme Court's May 17 order, which directed that the object found by the commission had to be protected so that no tampering can be done. The order of the SC will prevail, so the object cannot be opened.

14:55 IST

The Varanasi Court has rejected Hindu side's demand seeking carbon dating and scientific investigation of 'Shivling' in the mosque complex, reported ANI.

10:03 IST

Earlier, an appeal had been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the order of the Allahabad High Court which had dismissed a PIL that sought the appointment of a committee/commission under a judge to study the nature of the structure found in the Gyanvapi Mosque, Varanasi.

The appeal filed by seven devotees sought direction from the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to ascertain the nature of the structure found on the Gyanvapi campus. The Allahabad High Court had on July 19 dismissed their plea seeking the appointment of a committee/commission headed by a judge of the High Court or supreme court (sitting/retired) to study the nature of the structure found in the Gyanvapi Mosque.

09:23 IST

The Muslim side argued that there are many other such mosques and other buildings built during the Mughal period, which have similar fountains in the ‘wazookhana’. However, the Hindu side had sought the district court to conduct a carbon dating test of the alleged Shivling to ascertain the age of the stone.

08:06 IST

However, the Muslim side said that the structure found was a `fountain`. The Hindu side had then submitted an application on September 22 that sought a carbon dating of the object they claimed to be `Shivling`.

08:06 IST

Earlier on September 29, the court had reserved the order in the Gyanvapi Mosque-Shringar Gauri case after hearing both sides` arguments. The Hindu side had claimed that a `Shivling` was found in the premises near the `wazukhana` during the videography survey of the mosque premises, which was ordered by the court. 

08:05 IST

ishnu Jain, the lawyer representing the Hindu side, said, "The Muslim side said that Shivling is not a part of the suit property and its carbon dating cannot be done. We have given our clarification on both of these points. The court will deliver its verdict on Friday."

08:05 IST

The Hindu plaintiff also demanded the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Anjuman Islamia Committee, the Muslim side objected to the demand of carbon dating of the structure claiming its a fountain in the water tank and not a ‘shivling’.

08:04 IST

A district court in Varanasi will deliver its verdict on a plea seeking carbon dating of the structure found inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex on Friday. The Hindu side had appealed to the court to direct the authorities to carry out the carbon dating of structure found in the ablution area of the historical mosque, which they claimed to be a ‘Shivling’.