The management committee of the Gyanvapi mosque, situated near the Kashi Vishwanath temple, has expressed apprehensions about the historic structure’s safety during the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey. Seeking a stay on the ASI survey, the committee appeared before the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday, stating that the mosque has stood at its current location for 1,000 years.
However, the court responded firmly, questioning the petitioners’ lack of trust in the ASI’s assurances regarding the structure’s preservation. The Hindu side argued that a temple was built on the site in 1585 but was later demolished in 1669. The mosque committee disputed any claims of a temple beneath the mosque, emphasizing that the circumstances of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi case differ from this dispute.