Bhojshala case: HC grants 2 more weeks for objections on ASI report

The Indore High Court has allowed all parties two more weeks to submit suggestions and objections on the ASI report concerning the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex. The report will be made accessible via the court portal.

Court Extends Deadline on ASI Report

The Bhoj Utsav Samiti, advocate Shirish Dubey said that the Division Bench of the High Court, Indore, on Monday allowed all parties two more weeks to submit suggestions and objections on the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report concerning the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex.

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Dubey said, "Today, the Bhojshala case was scheduled for hearing before the Division Bench of the High Court, Indore. The Advocate General brought the Supreme Court's order to the court's attention and explained the matter. The court asked questions, including that the Supreme Court had ordered that all reports be unsealed and the report be given to all parties. However, the Division Bench of the High Court, Indore, had passed an order stating that the report should be given to all parties. In this context, the court questioned that almost two years had passed, and no party had received any suggestions or objections. Nevertheless, the court granted all parties an additional two weeks' time to submit their suggestions and objections to the report if they wished."

Hindu Petitioners React to Development

Bhoj Utsav Samiti petitioner Ashok Kumar Jain maintained that the survey report had already been opened earlier. "The survey report had already been opened. It had been open a year earlier. No one had any objections to it, yet the magistrate had given the date of March 16," he told reporters.

Petitioner Ashish Goyal from the Hindu Front for Justice termed the development significant. "Today marks a great victory for the Hindu community. This is a historic day. The struggle of the entire Hindu community of Dhar, which has been going on for years, is about to be completed," he told ANI.

Advocate Vinay Joshi, representing the Hindu Front for Justice, said the ASI report has been taken on record and will be uploaded to the portal for access. "The hearing will be held again after two weeks. The ASI report has been taken on record. The report will be uploaded to the portal, and everyone can view it through the lawyer," Joshi stated.

Muslim Counsel Seeks Transfer to Civil Court

Meanwhile, counsel for Kamaal Maula Masjid's Namazi, Ashahar Warsi, urged that the case be transferred to a civil court for detailed examination of documents. "We have demanded that this is a fact-based case. It involves heaps of documents. So, the civil court is for their review. We have requested the High Court to transfer the case to the civil court so that the facts can be investigated," he told ANI.

The Bhojshala Complex Dispute

There is a disputed site, the Bhoj Shala complex, situated in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district. For Hindus, the Bhoj Shala complex is a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while for Muslims, it is the site of the Kamal Maula mosque. According to an arrangement in 2003, Hindus perform puja at the complex on Tuesdays from sunrise to sunset, while Muslims offer namaz on Fridays from 1 pm to 3 pm. (ANI)

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