Today(on 22nd July), The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore bench adjourned the hearing on the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque complex after the ASI submitted its scientific survey report.
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Indore, Madhya Pradesh: Today(on 22nd July), The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore bench has adjourned the hearing concerning the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque complex located in Dhar district. This decision came a week after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted its extensive scientific survey report on the contentious site.
A division bench comprising Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice D.V. Ramana has stated that the matter will be heard following the Supreme Court’s upcoming order.
ASI’s counsel, Himanshu Joshi, clarified the court’s stance, saying-
“The High Court will begin hearing the ASI report once the Supreme Court issues its directive. It stated, ‘Let the order from the Supreme Court come first, then we will hear the matter.'”
The Supreme Court, on July 15, agreed to consider a plea filed by the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society. This plea challenges the High Court’s March 11 order which called for a survey to determine which community rightfully owns the shrine. The Supreme Court had previously refused to halt the survey on April 1 but mandated that no actions be taken based on the survey’s outcomes without its permission.
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The ASI, following the High Court’s directive, conducted a detailed scientific survey that began on March 22 and took longer than initially planned, necessitating two extensions. The final report, exceeding 2,000 pages, was submitted last week.
The complex in question is a site of significant contention between the Hindu and Muslim communities. Hindus regard Bhojshala as a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while Muslims refer to it as the Kamal Maula Mosque.
In response to the ongoing dispute, an order was issued by the ASI on April 7, 2003, which has regulated access to the monument for over two decades. According to this order, Hindus are allowed to perform their worship rituals on Tuesdays, while Muslims are permitted to offer their prayers (namaz) on Fridays.
The petition from the Hindu Front for Justice, which sparked the High Court’s survey order, seeks to challenge this long-standing arrangement. The High Court has decided that any intervener applications will be considered during the final arguments. This decision came after the ASI’s counsel argued that entertaining such applications prematurely would result in numerous interventions, thereby prolonging the case.