MP High Court Bench To Inspect Disputed Bhojshala Complex Ahead Of April 2 Hearing
The court is scheduled to examine suggestions and objections to the ASI survey report on the disputed monument from the contesting parties in the next hearing: Reports
BHOPAL: A bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court, dealing with the case regarding the dispute over the Bhojshala- Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district in the state, has decided to visit the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)- protected monument for inspection ahead of the April two hearing in the case.
The division bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi on Monday declared the court’s intention to visit the disputed monument before the next date of hearing, scheduled to be held on April two, in order to obtain a clearer understanding of the structure and its surroundings.
The court is scheduled to examine suggestions and objections to the ASI survey report on the disputed monument from the contesting parties in the next hearing.
The bench however made it clear that neither the petitioners nor the respondents will be allowed into the site during the court’s visit to the monument.
“Before the next date, this court will visit the site. But only the court will visit. And parties are not allowed. Just that we would like to see the site.... We will fix a date. But neither the petitioner nor the respondent will be present; it will be visited by the court”, Justice Shukla said.
The Bhojshala- Kamal Maula Mosque complex has been at the Centre of a religious tussle between Hindus and Muslims for decades.
Hindus regard the monument as the ancient temple of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while Muslims identify the structure as Kamal Maula Mosque.
The court had earlier sought to resolve the dispute for once and all by ordering a comprehensive scientific survey of the entire complex using modern and non-invasive techniques to find out if a mosque was built over a temple at the site.
The ASI in its 98-day survey examined the historical and structural aspects of the monument and submitted its final report in a sealed cover to the high court recently.
The high court has ordered that the copies of the ASI report be available to all the contesting parties for the purpose of securing their suggestions and objections to the report, for examination in the next hearing in the case.
During Monday’s hearing, the court also allowed all intervention applications filed in connection with the dispute. The intervenors were permitted to place documents on record.
As a temporary arrangement to resolve the dispute, the ASI has allowed Hindus to worship in the Vagdevi temple in the complex on every Wednesday while permitting the Muslims to offer namaz at the mosque on every Friday.
