ASI submits Bhojshala survey report to MP HC; hearing on July 22

Indore: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Monday, July 15, submitted its scientific survey report of the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque complex to the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court.

ASI’s counsel Himanshu Joshi handed over the report, which runs into more than 2,000 pages, to the HC’s registry.

“I have submitted the report. The HC will hear the case on July 22,” Joshi told PTI over the phone.

The HC had, on March 11, ordered the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the complex, in the state’s Dhar district, on an application by ‘Hindu Front for Justice’ and had given the premier agency six weeks for the task.

The ASI, which started the survey on March 22, approached the HC two times to seek an extension to complete it.

Earlier, on April 29, the HC had given ASI eight more weeks to complete the survey and had asked it to submit the report by July 2. However, the agency had moved a plea seeking a four-week extension.

The HC, on July 4, ordered the ASI to present by July 15 the complete report of the nearly three-month-long survey on the premises of the disputed 11th-century monument, the subject of a wrangle between Hindus and Muslims.

The Hindu community considers Bhojshala as a temple of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim side calls it Kamal Maula mosque.

The ASI issued an order on April 7, 2003, concerning access to the monument after a controversy erupted.

As per the order, which has been in place for the last 21 years, Hindus are allowed to worship in the Bhojshala on Tuesdays, while Muslims can offer namaz at the place on Fridays.

The Hindu Front for Justice has challenged this arrangement in its petition.

On April 1, the Supreme Court refused to hold the scientific survey of Bhojshala but said no action should be taken without its permission on the outcome of the exercise.

The apex court’s direction came on a plea filed by the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society challenging the March 11 order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on the scientific survey.