Will cooperate with Supreme Court order: Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee

Following the Supreme Court's refusal to stay the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) led scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque, the Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee said it will cooperate with the exercise. The mosque committee had boycotted the survey on Friday owing to its pending appeal in the apex court.

"Considering the situation emerging from the Supreme Court's refusal to stay the ASI survey, the Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee has decided to honour the SC decision. We will cooperate with the scientific survey and we hope that directions of the court will be adhered to in a fair manner and no damage will be caused to our mosque and our religious rights which the apex court secured in its May 17, 2022 order, will remain protected," SM Yaseen, joint secretary, Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee said in a statement. He also appealed to the community to maintain peace. The SC in its May 17 order last year had ordered protection of the area where the claimed shivlinga was said to be discovered which is inside the wazukhana of the mosque, and had also ordered that Muslims will not be restrained from offering prayers in the mosque.

A team of over 40 members from the ASI, including additional director general (archaeology) Alok Tripathi commenced the survey at the mosque premises on Friday morning amid heightened security around the compound. The survey went on till the evening.


Lawyers representing the Hindu litigants dubbed it a "historical" exercise. Sudhir Tripathi, one of the counsels on the side of the Hindu litigants likened the survey to the one carried out in Ayodhya at the Ram janmabhoomi which he said went on for 7-8 months and reckoned the survey at Gyanvapi will also take time to get concluded.