The Supreme Court has allowed both Hindus and Muslims to offer prayers at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, on Basant Panchami. This ruling comes as Basant Panchami, a day of significance for Hindu worship, coincides with Friday, a day of weekly prayers for Muslims.
The Supreme Court's Order
The Supreme Court addressed the sensitive issue by setting specific time slots for each community. Hindus will be permitted to offer prayers at the Bhojshala Temple from sunrise to sunset on Friday, January 23. Muslims will be allowed to offer Namaz at the Kamal Maula Mosque between 1 pm and 3 pm on the same day. The court directed the district administration to ensure strict law and order arrangements are in place. Additionally, the court instructed that a list of individuals from the Muslim community attending Namaz be provided to the district administration. The Supreme Court bench, consisting of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, appealed to both sides to maintain mutual respect and cooperate with the state and district administration in upholding law and order.
Security Measures
Given the delicate nature of the situation, approximately 8,000 police personnel, including those from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Rapid Action Force (RAF), have been deployed throughout the Dhar district. Authorities are closely monitoring CCTV surveillance, foot and vehicle patrols, and social media activity across the city. Saffron flags and billboards promoting 'Akhand Puja' have been erected in the city ahead of Basant Panchami.
The Dispute
The dispute over the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex is a long-standing issue rooted in historical claims. Hindus consider the site to be an ancient temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), built by the Parmar king Raja Bhoja in the 11th century. They believe it was a center of Vedic learning and a Saraswati temple before it was allegedly destroyed and converted during medieval invasions. Conversely, Muslims maintain that it is the Kamal Maula Mosque, named after Maulana Kamaluddin Chishti, and assert continuous worship at the mosque. They claim that Maula Kamaluddin Chisti, a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya, came to Dhar in 1291 and preached there for about four decades. His tomb was constructed beside the mosque inside the complex.
In 2003, an arrangement was made that allowed Hindus to perform puja in the area on Tuesdays and Muslims to perform Namaz on Fridays. However, the coinciding of Basant Panchami and Friday prayers has created a point of contention, particularly regarding the scope and duration of religious observances.
Recent Developments
The Hindu Front for Justice recently approached the Supreme Court, seeking "exclusive" access for Hindus to perform "Goddess Saraswati Puja" throughout the day on January 23. They argued that allowing Friday Namaz without conclusively determining the monument's religious character violates the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act. The Supreme Court has cautioned the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) against any physical excavation that would alter the character of the complex. An ASI report submitted to the Madhya Pradesh High Court indicated that the Bhojshala temple-Kamal Maula Masjid was constructed from the remains of earlier temples.
