The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday declared the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex as a temple, according to PTI.
Ahead of the court’s decision on the 11th-century monument, which is claimed by both Hindu and Muslim communities, nearly 1,200 policemen were deployed in and around the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar on Friday to maintain law and order, PTI reported.
Although the site is currently shared by the Hindu and Muslim communities under a 2003 notification, a section of the Jain community has also staked its claim to the ASI-protected monument.
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Collector Dhar Rajeev Ranjan Meena warned of strict action against those spreading objectionable content on social media as authorities erected barricades around the disputed complex where Friday prayers are scheduled on the same day as the trial is expected later in the afternoon.
what’s going on
The Hindu side considers Bhojshala to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while Muslims identify it as the Kamal Maula Mosque. The Jain claimant claimed that the structure was originally a medieval Jain temple and gurukul.
According to a 2003 arrangement set by the Archaeological Survey of India, Hindus continue to worship at the site on Tuesdays while Muslims pray on Fridays.
Hindu petitioners challenged the arrangement in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, demanding exclusive rights to worship in the complex.
ASI survey
On 11 March 2024, the Supreme Court directed the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex. The survey began on March 22 and lasted for 98 days, after which the ASI submitted its report to the court.
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Members of the Muslim community currently offer namaz in the compound between 1pm and 3pm every Friday. In view of the expected verdict, the administration installed barricades around the site and issued a warning on social media.
During the proceedings, petitioners representing the Hindu, Muslim and Jain communities presented extensive arguments, each seeking exclusive rights to worship the monument.
The ASI report stated…
In its more than 2,000-page report, the ASI said that in front of the mosque were the remains of a large structure dating back to the reign of the Parmar kings of Dhar and that the current disputed structure was apparently built using reused temple materials.
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The Hindu party claimed that coins, statues and inscriptions unearthed during the survey proved that the complex was originally a temple.
However, the Muslim party alleged that the ASI report was biased and tailored to support the claims of the Hindu petitioners.
The ASI denied the allegations and informed the court that the scientific survey was conducted with the help of experts, including three members from the Muslim community.
