Varanasi(UP): On Saturday, scientists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) returned to the Gyanvapi mosque to continue their investigation into whether or not the mosque, built in the 17th century, was built atop an earlier Hindu temple.
On Saturday, government counsel Rajesh Mishra said the ASI survey team had begun their daylong operation at 9 a.m. and would wrap up at 5 p.m.
The Muslim side claims that conducting the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque will "reopen wounds from the past," but on Friday, the Supreme Court declined to postpone the Allahabad High Court judgement.
However, the three-judge bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and including Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra ordered the ASI to refrain from any intrusive actions during the survey.
As a result, the Varanasi court's statement that excavations can be done if necessary was rendered null and void.
Hours before the Supreme Court's approval on Friday, an ASI team had returned to the in-depth scientific survey ordered by the Varanasi district court on July 21.
The committee of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid appealed the district court's judgement, but the Allahabad High Court rejected their case on Thursday. In short order, the Muslim group petitioned the highest court in the land.
The Varanasi court extended the ASI's deadline for completing the survey by a month on Friday, bringing it all the way up to September 4.—Inputs from Agencies