The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday declared a court verdict in the Bhojshala case and recognised the Bhojshala complex as a Hindu temple and the property of King Bhoj. Meanwhile, authorities have tightened security across Dhar.
The long-standing legal battle over the Bhojshala and Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar reached a decisive conclusion with the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court delivering a historic verdict.
In anticipation of this sensitive judgment, the state administration remained on high alert with 1,200 police personnel deployed specifically in Dhar town.
Consequently, the court has granted the Hindu side the exclusive right to perform worship at the site while dismissing the petitions filed by the Muslim side and the Jain community.
Under the new judicial directives, the previous order by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) dated April 7, 2003, which had allowed the Muslim community to offer namaz at the site, has been completely revoked.
The court has ruled that henceforth only Hindu worship shall take place at the complex. While the ASI will continue to maintain control over the management of the Bhojshala, the actual right to perform religious rituals remains firmly with the Hindu side.
Meanwhile, the court has suggested that the government consider allocating alternative land for a mosque if they so desire.
What happened in court?
IANS reported that Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represented the Hindu front, stated that the court partially set aside the previous administrative orders to prioritise the historical and architectural findings of the recent scientific survey.
The HC noted that the facts presented in the survey report were significant in establishing the original character of the site.
The court has also directed the government to make formal efforts to repatriate the ancient idol of Goddess Saraswati currently housed in the British Museum in London.
This statue was originally installed by King Bhoj of the Parmar dynasty between 1010 and 1055 AD when the site served as a renowned centre for learning.
