Gyanvapi mosque committee seeks ban on false media reporting on ASI survey

The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid (AIM) Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, has filed an application in the Varanasi district court, seeking directions to refrain the media from "publishing, disseminating false and wrong news" pertaining to an ongoing scientific survey of the mosque.

In its plea, the committee alleged the media was disseminating “wrong/false news” related to parts of the mosque which are yet to be surveyed.

The plea said the exercise was being held on the orders of the court and none of the ASI officials have so far provided any statement.

“But social, print and electronic media were publishing and disseminating false and wrong news in an arbitrary manner about the portions (of Gyanvapi Mosque) where the survey had not been conducted yet,” the plea said.

“It is necessary to stop social, print and electronic media from publishing and disseminating wrong/false news about the survey for maintaining peace and avoiding ill-effects on the mind of public,” it added.

The court will hear the matter on Wednesday.

Last week, the Supreme Court refused to stay an order of the Allahabad High Court that allowed the Archaeological Survey of India survey of the Gyanvapi mosque, an exercise that the Muslim side said would “reopen wounds of the past”.

On Sunday, the Muslim side alleged that “rumours” were being spread that a Hindu idol and a trident were found during the survey. They had demanded the administration put a stop to such “rumours”.