New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India says Shivalinga said to be found in Gyanvapi Masjid cannot be carbon dated.
A report by the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India was submitted to the Allahabad High Court stating that the inspection would damage the Shivalinga.
The Archaeological Survey of India also informed the court that carbon dating is not scientific as there is no presence of fossils. ASI has also asked for three months as another means of determining age.
Earlier on the 14th of last month, the Varanasi District Court had rejected the plea filed by four Hindu women seeking carbon dating of the Shivlingam.
There was an order by the Supreme Court not to allow any changes to be made in the Shivalinga. Based on this, the court rejected the demand of the petitioners. The mosque committee had also said that processes like carbon dating would not be allowed inside the mosque.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had last May ordered the sealing of the place where the Shivlinga was said to have been found in Gyanvapi Church. The Supreme Court had also directed the Varanasi District Court to take charge of the security of the place.
The order, which was issued earlier, was extended indefinitely by a bench headed by the Chief Justice.
Advocate Vishnu Jain had claimed that the Shivlinga was found here during the survey conducted earlier in the church. It was said that a 12-foot tall Shivlinga was found when the devotees drained the water in the pond for purification before prayer. On the other hand, the opposing counsel argued that the Shivlinga was not recovered from the pond.
