Call for Prayer Arrangements Outside Bhojshala Complex Amid Supreme Court Ruling

On Wednesday, Gopal Sharma, the coordinator of the Bhojshala Liberation Yagna, urged the district administration to facilitate arrangements for prayers to be conducted outside a 300-meter radius of the Bhojshala complex. He expressed his approval of the Supreme Court's interim ruling, stating that it essentially reiterated the Madhya Pradesh High Court's order from May 15. Sharma emphasized that the Supreme Court's decision mirrored the High Court's earlier ruling. He clarified that the Bhojshala complex encompasses the entire area within a 300-meter radius, and prayers can be held anywhere outside this zone. While welcoming the Supreme Court's decision, he criticized the repeated requests for alternative locations after prayers had already been conducted at the site, deeming such demands unreasonable.

Sharma referenced historical events, claiming that prayers were held within the Bhojshala complex in 1935 until they were prohibited by the then-ruler in 1938. He further alleged that land was allocated for a mosque in 1942. He questioned why prayers resumed at Bhojshala if arrangements had already been made. According to him, the then-ruler of the Dhar princely state provided a mosque on Bakht Marg in exchange for allowing prayers at Bhojshala. He urged the district administration to respect the Supreme Court's orders and ensure that prayers are conducted outside the 300-meter radius of the Bhojshala complex. He clarified that they are not against prayers but believe that repeatedly praying at the temple disrespects it, and seeking alternative locations is inappropriate.

In response to Sharma's statements, Zulfiqar Pathan, president of the Kamal Maula Mosque Prayer Committee, noted that the Supreme Court has not issued a final decision but has only provided interim relief. He emphasized the importance of respecting the Supreme Court's orders, stating that this is a temporary measure and that the case will be heard again in three weeks. Regarding the Kamal Maula Mosque or any other mosque, he mentioned that every area has a mosque where prayers are held five times a day. The Kamal Maula Mosque serves as the Friday mosque where they conduct Friday prayers. The Supreme Court has issued notices to the central and Madhya Pradesh governments concerning appeals from the Muslim side challenging the High Court's ruling, which designated the disputed 11th-century Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex as a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The Supreme Court indicated it would investigate the matter and, as an interim measure, suggested that the Muslim community could be allowed to pray in a separate open area adjacent to the complex from 1 PM to 3 PM on Fridays.