Gyanvapi survey: Hindu side rebuts Owaisi's 'fountain' claims; 'Understand the difference'

After AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi claimed that it's a fountain, not a Shivling that has been found in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex survey, Lawyer Vishnu Jain, representing the Hindu side hit back at Owaisi and said that they understand the difference between fountain and Shivling. 

Explaining the survey site, Lawyer Vishnu Jain told ANI, "We saw Shivling in the well. It cannot be a fountain as we could see a large Shivling at the bottom. We know the difference between fountain and Shivling".

"During a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque yesterday, we found a large 'Shivling' inside 'wazukhana'at the mosque. Immediately, we moved an application to the court to secure this important piece of evidence. Court ordered to seal 'wazukhana'", he added. 

Lawyer Jain further mentioned that the survey was completed yesterday, May 16, and today there will be a hearing in the Supreme Court. "Let's see what the verdict comes", he stated. 

Earlier, responding to a petitioner's claim that 'Shivling' was found in Gyanvapi masjid, the AIMIM chief had said, "It's a fountain, not Shivling. Every masjid has this fountain. Why the claim was not raised by the commissioner of the Court?". He further called the order of sealing the spot, a violation of 1991 Act. 

Supreme Court to hear Gyanvapi Masjid case today

As the Gyanvapi Masjid survey, which was ordered by the local court, concluded on Monday, the Supreme Court will hear mosque management's appeal against the survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on May 17. 

After one of the lawyers surveying the Gyanvapi mosque claimed that a Shivling was found in a well inside the premise, the Varanasi Court issued an order to seal the area and prohibit entry of people in the area.

Gyanvapi survey verdict

Hearing a plea filed by a group of Hindu women that have sought year-long access to offer prayers at a Hindu shrine, a Varanasi Court on Thursday allowed the videographic survey of Gyanvapi mosque premises, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Guidelines for continuing the video survey of the mosque were issued by Varanasi’s Civil Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar and it was further announced that it will be held by May 17. 

(Image: PTI/Republic)