Mosque admin asked to reply on plea for carbon-dating of structure

Varanasi (UP): A court here asked the Gyanvapi mosque management on Friday to file its reply to a petitioners' plea for carbon-dating of a structure, claimed to be a "Shivling", inside the complex on the next date of hearing on October 11.

The petitioners contended that the "Shivling" found in the "wazookhana" reservoir of the mosque during survey work on May 16 was part of the case property.

The petitioners in the case involving the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri dispute put forward their arguments in favour of carbon-dating of the structure, according to district government advocate Mahendra Pandey.

The petitioners' lawyer, Vishnu Shankar Jain, told reporters that the court wanted to know if the "Shivling" was a part of the case property and whether it could appoint a commission for the purpose of carbon-dating and a scientific investigation of the structure.

"We had raised two points. Firstly we had demanded the right to worship 'pratyaksh' (visible) and 'apratyaksh' (invisible) god. The Shivling, which was under the water in the wazookhana, became 'pratyaksh devta' from 'apratyaksh devta' after the water was removed. Hence, that is a part of the suit.

"Secondly, we sought the attention of the court towards Order 26 Rule 10 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) under which the court can appoint a commission for scientific investigation," he said.

The petitioners also that the mosque management has said on an affidavit that the structure is a fountain and it wants it to be ascertained whether it is a fountain or "Shivling", Jain said.