Gyanvapi mosque case: Varanasi court to deliver verdict on carbon dating of 'Shivling' today
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Varanasi: The Varanasi court will deliver its verdict on the Hindu side's plea seeking carbon dating of the structure found inside the Gyanvapi mosque which they claimed to be a 'Shivling', on Friday.
The arguments over carbon dating and scientific investigation of the purported Shivling were completed in the Court during the last hearing on Tuesday after which the Court reserved its order till today.
Four of the five Hindu petitioners have sought the carbon-dating of 'Shivling' said to have been found inside the Gyanvapi Mosque during the videography survey ordered by the Varanasi local court.
Carbon dating is a scientific process used commonly in archaeology to understand the age of an object. The Gyanvapi Mosque committee has opposed the plea for carbon dating.
The Varanasi court had heard the arguments of the Muslim side earlier in connection with the case. Vishnu Jain, the lawyer representing the Hindu side, said, "The Muslim side said that Shivling is not a part of the suit property and its carbon dating cannot be done. We have given our clarification on both of these points. The court will deliver its verdict on Friday."
Akhlaq Ahmed, representing the Muslim side said that the plea by the Hindu side is not maintainable as it is against the order of the Supreme Court that stated protecting the structure (which the Muslim side claims to be a fountain and the Hindu side claims to be a Shivling).
Earlier on September 29, the court had reserved the order in the Gyanvapi Mosque-Shringar Gauri case after hearing both sides` arguments. The Hindu side had claimed that a `Shivling` was found in the premises near the `wazukhana` during the videography survey of the mosque premises, which was ordered by the court.
However, the Muslim side said that the structure found was a `fountain`. The Hindu side had then submitted an application on September 22 that sought a carbon dating of the object they claimed to be `Shivling`.
Carbon dating is a scientific process that ascertains the age of an archaeological object or archaeological finds. Earlier on September 29, the Hindu side demanded a scientific investigation of the `Shivling` by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the carbon dating of `Argha` and the area around it.