Officials confirmed that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted a survey of the contentious Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex located in the tribal-dominated Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, they indicated that preparations were made for employing carbon-dating equipment.
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MP: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) embarked on a significant mission this Friday, initiating a comprehensive survey of the disputed Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex, which resides in the tribal-majority Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. This initiative, directed by the ASI, involves employing carbon-dating and other scientific methodologies to unravel the historical narrative of the site.
The need for the survey stems from a mandate by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on March 11, which instructed the ASI to conduct a ‘scientific survey’ of the Bhojshala complex, a site historically claimed by Hindus as a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) and by Muslims as the Kamal Maula Mosque.
On the first day of the assessment, despite the presence of strict security protocols, members of the Muslim community convened to perform their Friday prayers. The ASI has historically recognized the religious significance of the site to both communities, mandating Hindu worship on Tuesdays and Muslim prayers on Fridays since April 7, 2003. Local officials reiterated this commitment, ensuring that traditional religious practices would remain unaffected during the survey period.
Dhar’s Superintendent of Police, Manoj Kumar Singh, confirmed the comprehensive logistical and security preparations to accommodate ongoing religious activities amidst the survey operations. According to petitioner Ashish Goyal, the ASI’s initial endeavors focused on setting the groundwork for a detailed examination, utilizing advanced technologies including GPS and carbon-dating tools. Goyal also highlighted the participation of members from the Hindu Front for Justice during these proceedings.
Singh further elaborated on the extensive security measures deployed to ensure peace and order during this sensitive period. Meanwhile, the Muslim community has escalated the dispute by filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court, scheduled for deliberation on April 1.
On the other side, Hindu representatives, led by lawyer Shirish Dube from the Hindu Front for Justice, remarked on the Supreme Court’s decision not to expedite the hearing, implying that the survey would proceed as planned.
Amidst these developments, ‘Shahar Qazi’ Waqar Sadiq expressed dissatisfaction over the notification process employed by the ASI, voicing concerns over the lack of authorized Muslim representatives during the survey. Sadiq drew attention to historical documentation and judicial interpretations affirming the site’s identity as a mosque, citing ASI reports from 1902 and 1903 which declared the structure a mosque.
He recalled a 1998 petition filed by Vimal Kumar Godha on behalf of Hindu organizations during Atal Bihari Vajpayee‘s tenure, where a response had acknowledged the site as ‘Kamal Moula Mosque,’ leaving the existence of Bhojshala as unresolved. Sadiq argued that these historical acknowledgments bind the ASI to a certain narrative, and expressed confidence that the Muslim community would secure a hearing despite delays in the Supreme Court schedule.
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