Retired Regional Director of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), KK Mohammad has said that Muslims should hand over the disputed Gyanvapi and Shahi Idgah land to Hindus. In an interview to IANS, the senior archeologist said that handing over the said land to Hindus is the only solution to this dispute.
KK Mohammad had made crucial findings regarding the Ram Janmabhoomi. He was a strong proponent of Ram Mandir and supported the existence of Ram Mandir under the demolished disputed structure of Babri mosque. He also negated the theories against Ram Mandir.
KK Mohammad was also part of BB Lal’s team that excavated the Babri Masjid in 1976.
Now, the archaeologist has spoken about the Gyanvapi-Shahi Idgah dispute. The dispute pertains to the belief of 5 women petitioners seeking permission to worship the Maa Shringar Gauri, Bhagwan Ganesh, Shri Hanuman and Nandi idols present inside the so-called Gyanvapi disputed mosque.
A Shivling was also found inside the structure in Varanasi in 2022 along with symbols of Swastika.
KK Mohammad has said that all religious leaders should unite and hand over the Gyanvapi and Krishna Janmabhoomi structures to the Hindu community.
“Kashi, Mathura and Ayodhya are very special for Hindus as they are associated with the lives of Bhagwan Shiva, Bhagwan Krishna and Bhagwan Ram. Muslims have no sentiments for the mosques built here,” he reportedly said.
KK Mohammad on Ram Janmabhoomi excavation
Mohammad said that the team led by BB Lal of which he was also a part had found several pillars with inscriptions resembling Hindu temples.
“Even in the walls of the building, there were several depictions of Hindu gods and goddesses that were defaced in many places. We could also find terracotta statues of animals, females, warriors and several such materials,” he said.
One of Mohammad’s team members was Jaisree Ramanathan, wife of senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
Mohammad corroborated the reports that Dr BB Lal did not want the findings to be revealed to the public. According to him, communist historians led by Prof Irfan Habib released press statements that Dr Lal and his team did not find anything from the excavations.
“It was then that Prof Lal was forced to respond and the findings were brought out to the public. Prof Irfan Habib was not an archaeologist and only a historian and he had distorted ideas that led to a major polarisation among the people. However, the crucial evidence was received after the Masjid was demolished in 1992 and not during the excavation your team undertook in 1976,” Mohammed said.
He added, “”It was a 12th-century Vishnuharishila inscription that was there under the structure. Critics had earlier stated that it was an 18th-century inscription but they backed out later. In the inscription, it was clearly written about the Mahavishnu who had killed Bali and also killed the man with ten heads. This means Lord Ram and hence it is clear as to who the place belonged to.”
Speaking about the Ram Mandir, he said, “”Indeed I am happy as a professional archaeologist and that a majestic temple for Lord Ram has come up in Ayodhya. An archaeologist is not a Hindu or a Muslim. I am a professional archaeologist and I am professionally very happy that several years of excavations and scientific findings have given a correct result and a grand temple is coming up. I am happy about this.”
