New Delhi, May 19, 2023 (PPI-OT): The Indian Supreme Court has stayed the carbon dating of a ‘Shivling’ inside the Gyanvapi mosque in the Varanasi city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Five Hindu women had sought worship in the mosque claiming that it was built on a Hindu temple. The Hindus also claimed the presence of Shivling (an idol depicting the Hindu deity Shiva) in the ablution water tank. However, the Muslims maintained that the alleged Shivling is part of a fountain in the ablution water tank.

Instead of going through the submissions of the Muslim side, the biased Allahabad High Court had asked the ASI to conduct the carbon dating of the structure and ensure that no damage is done to it during the survey. The Indian apex court told the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), today, to not conduct the carbon dating of the ‘Shivling’ inside the Gyanvapi mosque, till the next hearing on the matter. The order was passed by a Supreme Court bench consisting of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha.

The Supreme Court deferred the implications of an earlier order by the Allahabad High Court that had permitted carbon dating on the structure. The apex court also sought responses from the Central and Uttar Pradesh governments over a plea filed by the Muslim side against the Allahabad HC order. On Tuesday (May 16), the Supreme Court accepted a petition filed by lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represents the Hindu side. The court had asked the Gyanvapi mosque committee to file its reply to the plea by May 19, a media report said. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for August 7.

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