The Madhya Pradesh (MP) High Court on Monday, March 11, ordered the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to uptake the survey of the disputed 11th-century Bhojshala monument, the temple cum Kamal Maula Mosque in Dhar district.
Last year, an organisation called the ‘Hindu Front for Justice’ filed a PIL in the High Court claiming the Bhojshala monument was a temple. The PIL challenged the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) order of 2003, which restricted Hindus from worshiping at Bhojshala daily.
Subsequently, the Indore bench issued notices to the ASI, Centre and the MP government seeking their response on the matter.
Bhojshala is an ASI-protected 11th-century monument which Hindus claim is a temple of Vagdevi (Saraswati), while the Muslim community treats it as the Kamal Maula Mosque.
As per the arrangement made by ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the premises every Tuesday, while Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays.
“Only the members of the Hindu community have a fundamental right under Article 25 of the Constitution of India to perform puja and rituals at the place of goddess Vagdevi within the premises of Saraswati Sadan, commonly known as Bhojshala situated in Dhar,” the petition claimed.
“Members of the Muslim community have no right to use any portion of the aforesaid property for any religious purposes,” it added.
The petitioner also urged the court to direct the Centre to bring back the idol of the goddess Saraswati from the museum in London and re-establish the same within the Bhojshala complex.
The plea has cited that the then rulers of Dhar had installed the holy statue at Bhojshala in 1034 AD and it was taken to London in 1857 by the British.
One of the petitioners, Ashish Goyal, said, “We have now started fighting legally to reclaim our religious place. The court found our petition comprehensive and issued notice.”
