Indian court allows survey of a 17th-century mosque to see if it was built over a Hindu temple

By BISWAJEET BANERJEE
Associated Press

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — An Indian court says officials can conduct a scientific survey of a 17th-century mosque in northern India to determine if it was built over Hindu temple. The Gyanvapi Mosque in the Hindu pilgrammage city of Varanasi. It’s one of several mosques in northern Uttar Pradesh state that some Hindus believe was built on top of demolished Hindu temples. It’s a contentious issue between India’s 80% majority Hindu community and its Muslim minority, which makes up nearly 14% of the country’s 1.4 billion people. Khalid Rasheed, a Muslim petitioner, said he was hopeful that justice will be done as the mosque is 600 years old and still in use.