Dhar Observes Half-Day Bandh Over Designated Namaz Site Near Bhojshala Complex
The right-wing body, Sakal Hindu Samaj, took out a motorcycle rally in the town to highlight their demand for giving the devotees exclusive access to the Vagdevi temple inside the 11th century Bhojshala shrine- Kamal Maula Mosque complex, while exhorting the shop owners to shut their business to express solidarity with their cause.
Bhopal: The half-day bandh, called by the Hindu bodies to protest against the site designated for Friday namaz adjoining the Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district on Tuesday, passed off peacefully.
Although shops and other commercial establishments in Dhar remained shut, essential services were kept out of the purview of the bandh call.
The right-wing body, Sakal Hindu Samaj, took out a motorcycle rally in the town to highlight their demand for giving the devotees exclusive access to the Vagdevi temple inside the 11th century Bhojshala shrine- Kamal Maula Mosque complex, while exhorting the shop owners to shut their business to express solidarity with their cause.
The organization later submitted a memorandum to Dhar district collector Rajiv Ranjan Meena demanding full compliance of the court order relating to the Bhojshala complex by giving the devotees exclusive access to the Vagdevi temple to worship.
The body alleged that the district administration was not implementing the court directions concerning arrangements for Friday prayers by the Muslims near the disputed complex.
The Hindu organizations alleged that the supreme court had asked the state government to provide space near the Bhojshala complex for Friday namaz but claimed that the local administration was facilitating Friday prayers at Survey number 12, adjoining the complex.
The arrangement was denying unrestricted access to Bhojshala site in violation of the court verdict which hurt the Hindu sentiments, the body said.
The district collector however said that the administration would act in accordance with the court verdict.
In its order in May this year, the Madhya Pradesh high court held that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected Bhojshala complex was a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi.
The Muslims however challenged the verdict in the supreme court.
The apex court in an interim order on July 14 directed the state to provide an open space adjacent to the Bhojshala complex for Friday namaz.
On July 31, Muslims offered Friday namaz at a site adjoining the Bhojshala complex amid tight security.
The ASI had in 2003 made an arrangement to resolve the dispute over ownership claim over Bhojshala complex by allowing Hindus to perform puja at the Vagdevi temple on every Tuesday while permitting the Muslims to offer namaz at the Kamala Maula Mosque inside the complex on every Friday.
