A court in India’s Varanasi rejects the plea for carbon dating of the ‘shivling’ found inside Gyanvapi mosque premises

The request for carbon dating of the ‘shivling’ that was discovered inside the Gyanvapi mosque grounds was denied by a court in Varanasi, India.

According to PTI, District Judge A K Vishvesha rejected the petition after hearing arguments from both the mosque committee and the Hindu petitioners.

The petition requested scientific analysis and carbon dating of the idol and highlighted the Supreme Court of India’s order to keep the ‘shivling’ safe to prevent tampering.

The ‘shivling’ was found during a court-ordered search and videotaping of the mosque grounds in the ‘wazookhana,’ a small pond used by Muslim pilgrims to do ablutions before namaz.

While four of the five Hindu parties backed carbon dating, the mosque committee was against it. The mosque committee stated that it would not be acceptable to have the object inspected in these circumstances because the Supreme Court had instructed the Varanasi district magistrate to keep it secure.

The attorney for the Hindu side, Madan Mohan Yadav, revealed to media that they will now seek the High Court.