Gyanvapi Case: 'Shivling' found in Gyanvapi will be carbon dating, Varanasi court accepts the demand

In the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case, the district court of Varanasi has accepted the demand of the Hindu side for carbon dating of the alleged Shivling found in the Vazukhana of Gyanvapi Masjid. Accepting the demand, the court has fixed September 29 for the next hearing of the case. District government advocate Rana Sanjeev Singh said that advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, on behalf of the four women, the plaintiffs of the case, placed before the district court the demand for carbon dating of the alleged Shivling/fountain found in Gyanvapi premises. Accepting this, the district judge fixed September 29 as the date of next hearing.

The Muslim side has been told that it has been asked to submit its objection on the next hearing of the matter. He said that 15 people have submitted applications in the court of the District Judge to become parties in the Gyanvapi-Sringar Gauri case. On this, District Judge AK Vishvesh said that out of 15 people present, the application of only eight people present to become a party will be considered, the application of the remaining seven absentees will be rejected. Singh said that the Muslim side had requested the district court to fix the matter after eight weeks, which was rejected by the district judge's court. Mohamed Tauheed, counsel for the Muslim side, said that the Supreme Court had asked to proceed with the hearing of the case eight weeks after the court's decision on the maintainability of the case.

The case was challenged by the Muslim side saying that the matter is against the Places of Worship Act 1991, hence it is not maintainable. The court, while giving its verdict on September 12 last, had said that the matter is worth hearing. The district court, in its judgment on September 12, had considered the matter fit for hearing. Therefore, the Muslim side had given an application to hear the matter after eight weeks.

It is worth mentioning that Rakhi Singh, a resident of Delhi and four women from Varanasi had filed a petition in the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) of Varanasi for daily darshan-worship of Shringar Gauri located in Gyanvapi complex and protection of Deities. A videography survey of the Gyanvapi campus was conducted last May on the orders of the court. During this time a stone was found in the Wazukhana of ¢|Gyanvapi Mosque. The Hindu side claims that it is a Shivling, while the Muslim side says that it is a fountain in the Hauz.