MP High Court recognises Bhojshala as Hindu temple; sets aside ASI order allowing Muslims to offer namaz
Bhopal/Indore: The long-standing and highly contentious legal battle over the Bhojshala and Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar has reached a decisive conclusion with the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court delivering a historic verdict.
In a significant ruling that will reshape the religious landscape of the region, the court has recognised the Bhojshala complex as a Hindu temple and the property of King Bhoj.
Consequently, the court has granted the Hindu side the exclusive right to perform worship at the site while dismissing the petitions filed by the Muslim side and the Jain community.
Under the new judicial directives, the previous order by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) dated April 7, 2003, which had allowed the Muslim community to offer namaz at the site, has been completely revoked.
The court has ruled that henceforth only Hindu worship shall take place at the complex.
In consideration of the Muslim community, the court has suggested that the government consider allocating alternative land for a mosque if they so desire.
While the ASI will continue to maintain control over the management of the Bhojshala, the actual right to perform religious rituals remains firmly with the Hindu side.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu front, stated that the court partially set aside the previous administrative orders to prioritise the historical and architectural findings of the recent scientific survey.
The court noted that the facts presented in the survey report were significant in establishing the original character of the site.
Furthermore, the court has directed the government to make formal efforts to repatriate the ancient idol of Goddess Saraswati currently housed in the British Museum in London. This statue was originally installed by King Bhoj of the Parmar dynasty between 1010 and 1055 AD when the site served as a renowned centre for learning.
In anticipation of this sensitive judgment, the state administration remained on high alert with 1,200 police personnel deployed specifically in Dhar town.
District Collector Rajeev Ranjan Meena and other senior officials monitored the situation closely, particularly since the verdict coincided with Friday prayers.
Authorities have maintained strict surveillance on social media to prevent the spread of inflammatory content and have appealed to the public to maintain peace and ignore unconfirmed rumours as the region transitions into this new legal reality.