MP News: Hindu Group Moves SC Seeking ‘Exclusive’ Access In Disputed Bhojshala On Basant Panchami

Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): The long-standing dispute over the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, has intensified as Basant Panchami coincides with a Friday on January 23.

In a fresh development, the Hindu Front for Justice has approached the Supreme Court recently with an urgent application seeking “exclusive” access for Hindus to perform Saraswati Puja throughout the day on January 23.

The site, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is claimed by Hindus as an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) and “built by Parmar king Raja Bhoja in the 11th century”, and by Muslims as the Kamal Maula Mosque.

The plea demands to”prohibit” from allowing any member of the Muslim community to offer namaz (prayer) that day, strict security arrangements by the ASI and state government, and an expedited hearing of the main case pending before the apex court.

The application highlights a critical ambiguity in the ASI’s April 7, 2003, order, which allows Hindus to worship every Tuesday and on Basant Panchami, while permitting Muslims to offer Friday prayers from 1 pm to 3 pm.

The directive remains silent on scenarios where Basant Panchami falls on a Friday, as it does this year. Hindu groups argue that Basant Panchami holds profound sacred significance in Sanatan Dharma as the birth anniversary of Goddess Saraswati, traditionally marked by uninterrupted worship at the site.

They contend that overlapping observances have historically led to disorder, clashes, and even communal violence on such rare coinciding days. 

Local authorities in Dhar have heightened security, deploying thousands of personnel to prevent any untoward incidents on January 23.