The Supreme Court today refused to put a stay on the scientific survey of the disputed Bhojshala and Kamal Maula mosque complex, located in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district. The excavation process is currently going on at the complex in the district as part of the court-mandated survey being conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and P K Mishra in an interim direction said that no action should be taken without its permission on the basis of the outcome of the ASI survey. It also clarified that no physical excavation should be taken in disputed sites which will change its character.
In addition to this, the Top court has also issued notice on plea against Madhya Pradesh High Court order directing the ASI to conduct a survey in the disputed site “Bhojshala and Kamal Maula Masjid”. On the 11th of March, the High Court’s Indore bench had ordered the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the medieval-era Bhojshala structure in the Dhar district. The HC had instructed the ASI to provide an updated report within six weeks after receiving the survey.
Hindus consider Bhojshala, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected 11th century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community call it Kamal Maula Mosque. It is believed that Raja Bhoj, a Hindu king, had installed the statue of Vagdevi in Bhojshala in 1034 AD. Hindu groups say the British took this statue to London in 1875. As per the agreement established by the ASI on the 7th of April, 2003, Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays, while Hindus perform puja in the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays.
