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Home > News > The Ayodhya Issue > Report

ASI starts digging floor of mosque

Sharat Pradhan in Ayodhya | March 13, 2003 18:10 IST

The Archaeological Survey of India team in Ayodhya started digging the floor of the Babri mosque on Thursday morning.

"Most of the work carried out on the opening day on Wednesday was focussed on removal of the debris of the razed mosque," a government official told rediff.com

Apart from the four spots [4X4 metres] marked for digging just across the makeshift temple, two sites were taken up on Thursday.

"The excavating team has now got spades, hoes and digging-forks, as against trowels and chisels, which had sufficed on Wednesday," the official said.

Archaeologists have told Hindu and Muslim representatives that the real work will begin once digging proceeds deeper than the floor level.

He denied reports that Muslims labourers have refused to work at the excavation site.

"Labourers have not been engaged on the basis of their religion and I have not come across a single case where any one refused to be associated with the excavation work. Rather, we removed three labourers because they were below 18 years," he added.

Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas counsel, Madan Mohan Pandey, who was at the site, said: "I have reason to believe that the mosque was built on the very foundation of the demolished temple, so they would perhaps not need to go very deep in search of evidence."

According to official reports, digging will remain suspended on Friday on account of Moharram, and on March 19 for Holi.

The Ayodhya Issue: The Complete Coverage
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Number of User Comments: 31




Sub: Ayodhya Issue

It is not the "Mandir" or "Masjid" issue. It is a politically motivated issue blown out of proportion by groups of "?*#@&%$" with vested interests, ...


Posted by aravindakshan p.v.





Sub: RE:Ayodhaya Excavation

Ya this is a good suggestion i support this brother cuz if a hospital was built at that place it will be of use to ...


Posted by ND





Sub: RE:India is Secular and will always remain

Lets not start knocking down the VHP/any political party straightaway. These are turbulent times for the country. There will be calm at the end of ...


Posted by Srikanth





Sub: Rama Janma Bhoomi

Hindus feelings should be respected in restoring the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya as it is beyond doubt that there exists a Temple and that was ...


Posted by vasudevan rao





Sub: ayodya

Ending of Political Exploitation with Muslim & Hindus by India's all Political parties.


Posted by ajith kumar P




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