Varanasi court rejects Hindu side's plea for survey through excavation in Gyanvapi complex
Varanasi (UP) (PTI): A court in Varanasi on Friday rejected a petition by the Hindu side seeking a survey through excavation in the entire Gyanvapi complex.
The lawyer representing the Hindu side, Madan Mohan Yadav, said Civil Judge Senior Division Yughul Shambhu rejected the petition, and added that they will approach the Supreme Court against the lower court's order.
Following a July 2023 order of the district court, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) carried out a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi premises, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple here, to determine whether the mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
The ASI submitted its survey report to the district court in a sealed cover on December 18.
The survey was ordered by the court after the Hindu petitioners claimed that the 17th-century mosque was built atop a pre-existing temple.
In its order, the court said, "Since it has been already directed by the High Court of Allahabad and the Supreme Court that no excavation or destruction will be done at the site of the survey and the entire survey will be conducted by non-invasive methodology, the prayer of the plaintiff cannot be allowed."
"The application is hereby rejected," it added.
Yadav, however, said the Hindu side will move the Supreme Court.
"Without carrying out excavations, the truth of Gyanvapi will not emerge. We will approach the Supreme Court in this case," he said.
Secretary of Anjuman Intezamiya Masajid Committee Muhammad Yaseen said he was very happy with the judgement. "This is the victory of justice."
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Maharashtra Congress chief Patole meets Kharge, dismisses resignation talk as 'rumours'
New Delhi, Nov 25: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Monday dismissed as "rumours" talk of his resignation following the assembly polls debacle and stressed on "collective accountability" for the defeat.
Patole made the remarks after meeting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during which he conveyed that the result had not reflected the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra.
"Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other national and state leaders were leading Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) from the forefront during the assembly polls. So, we were sure that the trends were in favour of Maha Vikas Aghadi, even the citizens believed that," the Maharashtra Congress chief said.
"If I talk about Nanded, the Lok Sabha bypolls and assembly elections were held on the same day. In Lok Sabha bypolls, our candidate was winning in six assembly seats, whereas, in the assembly elections, we are not winning even a single seat," he said, adding that there cannot be such a "huge difference".
This is the sentiment among the people also and they have stated that this government in Maharashtra was not being formed on their votes, he claimed.
"So, I spoke to Mallikarjun Kharge on this," he added.
Asked whether he had offered to resign or the party had asked for his resignation after the Maharashtra assembly polls defeat, Patole said, "These are all rumours and there is no truth in them. There is collective accountability."
Patole also said he will meet Rahul Gandhi in a day or two and discuss all issues.
"Democracy is being finished. We have discussed that... there was no talk of resignation," he said.
The MVA alliance, comprising the Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT), was restrained to 46 seats by the Mahayuti that reaped a rich harvest of 230 seats in the 288-member House.
