Bhojshala Mukti Yagya Samiti convener Gopal Sharma on Friday urged the Muslim community to accept the Bhojshala complex in Dhar as a temple and respect the continuing judicial process, days after the Supreme Court created an interim arrangement for Friday prayers near the disputed monument.
Sharma welcomed the apex court’s decision not to restore namaz inside the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex while appeals against a Madhya Pradesh High Court judgment remain pending. He said the district administration should ensure that the alternative prayer site is located beyond a 300-metre radius of the protected complex.
The Supreme Court directed the authorities to identify an open space adjacent to the monument where Muslims can offer Friday namaz between 1pm and 3pm. The temporary arrangement will remain subject to the outcome of the appeals challenging the High Court verdict.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant declined to suspend the May 15 judgment that recognised the complex as a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi, or Saraswati. The court issued notices on petitions filed by the Muslim side and indicated that it could conduct an expedited hearing because of the dispute’s religious and historical sensitivity.
The bench also restrained the Archaeological Survey of India from carrying out structural alterations at the monument without prior permission. It asked both communities to exercise restraint and cooperate with the administration while the legal questions are examined.
Sharma said the interim directions had left the High Court judgment operational and argued that all parties should avoid actions that could disturb public order. He maintained that the Muslim community should acknowledge the judicial finding while retaining its right to pursue legal remedies before the Supreme Court.
Muslim representatives have rejected claims that the dispute has been conclusively settled. They maintain that the complex includes the Kamal Maula mosque, where Friday prayers were offered for decades under an administrative arrangement introduced by the Archaeological Survey of India in 2003.
That arrangement permitted Hindus to perform worship at Bhojshala on Tuesdays and allowed Muslims to offer namaz on Fridays. It sought to manage rival religious claims over the protected monument, which both communities regard as historically significant.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court set aside the 2003 order after examining archaeological material, inscriptions, architectural features and the findings of a scientific survey. It held that the structure was originally associated with Raja Bhoj and the worship of Goddess Vagdevi.
The Muslim side has challenged that interpretation, arguing that historical records establish the existence and use of the Kamal Maula mosque over several centuries. Its petitions contend that the High Court judgment disrupted an established worship arrangement and gave insufficient weight to documents supporting the mosque’s history.
The litigation intensified after the High Court ordered a comprehensive archaeological survey in March 2024. Specialists used excavation, ground-penetrating radar, photography, mapping and analysis of inscriptions and architectural fragments during the investigation.
The resulting report said the existing structure incorporated pillars, sculptures, inscriptions and other components associated with earlier temples. Muslim representatives disputed the conclusions, saying some materials could have originated from damaged buildings elsewhere and been reused during later construction.
Tensions surrounding the site have remained under control through extensive security arrangements. Police personnel, surveillance teams and local administrators have been deployed during major prayer gatherings and court-related developments to prevent confrontation.
The complex also became the focus of heightened security in January when Basant Panchami coincided with Friday prayers. The Supreme Court then approved separate spaces and schedules for Hindu worship and namaz, calling for mutual respect and peaceful observance by both communities.
After the High Court verdict in May, Hindu organisations held prayers and a large aarti at the site. Members of the Muslim community offered Friday namaz at homes and private premises while wearing black bands to protest the decision. Both sides said their activities were peaceful.
