Survey-videography work of Gyanvapi Masjid complex in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh started once again on Saturday morning amid tight security arrangements. Varanasi District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma gave this information. Sharma said that authorized people, including all the parties, their counsel, advocate commissioner, and videographer, have reached the spot. Survey has started in Gyanvapi Masjid premises."
The Gyanvapi Masjid is located close to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Dham and a local court is hearing a plea by a group of women seeking permission for daily prayers in front of idols on its outer walls.
District Magistrate Sharma had earlier said that an important meeting was held with all concerned on Friday, in which they were appealed not to obstruct the work of the commission set up by the court and cooperate in maintaining law and order. Varanasi Police Commissioner A Satish Ganesh also informed that survey-videography work has started.
Civil Court Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar on Thursday dismissed the objection of the Muslim side and decided to conduct a survey inside the Gyanvapi Masjid also and not to remove Advocate Commissioner Ajay Mishra, appointed for this work.
Earlier, Syed Mohammad Yasin, joint secretary of the Gyanvapi Masjid maintenance organization 'Anjuman Inazaniya Masajid' had said on Friday, "We have challenged the order passed by the court of Civil Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar on Thursday in the Supreme Court. The Court has said that it will go through all the files before passing any order on it. If it does not pass any order on the matter, we can also approach the High Court."
Yasin had said, "Till then we will cooperate in the implementation of the order given by the district court." At the same time, advocate Abhay Nath Yadav, appearing for the Muslim side, said that no final decision has been taken yet to challenge the decision of the district court in the High Court. Any decision on this will be taken only after consultation with everyone.
It is noteworthy that the Varanasi court had on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking the removal of the advocate commissioner appointed for conducting survey-videography of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex on charges of favoritism.
The court had made it clear that videography would be done inside the Gyanvapi mosque as well. The civil court judge (senior division) Diwakar, while rejecting the plea for removal of advocate commissioner Ajay Mishra, appointed Vishal Singh as special advocate commissioner and Ajay Pratap Singh as assistant advocate commissioner. He had instructed to submit the report by May 17 after videography of the entire campus.