Bhojshala row: Panel urges namaz beyond 300m zone, cites SC order

The Bhoj Seva Sansthan Committee has urged the Dhar administration to facilitate Friday namaz beyond the 300-metre regulated zone of the Bhojshala complex. The request is based on a recent Supreme Court order directing namaz to be held outside.

The Bhoj Seva Sansthan Committee on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Dhar Collector, urging the administration to facilitate Friday namaz beyond the 300-metre regulated zone of the Bhojshala complex.

After submitting the memorandum, Bhojshala Mukti Yagya convener Gopal Sharma said the Supreme Court's latest order provides for offering namaz at an open place outside the Bhojshala premises, unlike the earlier Basant Panchami arrangement. "The Supreme Court's order clearly states that namaz should be offered outside the Bhojshala premises. Earlier, in the Basant Panchami order (in January this year), the Court had directed that namaz be offered at another location within the premises. At that time, they raised an objection as to how namaz could be offered in the graveyard. Now, the SC order says that namaz should be offered at an open place outside the Bhojshala complex, either nearby or at some distance," Sharma told ANI. He further added, "The Bhojshala has a 100-metre protected area and a 300-metre regulated zone. We welcome namaz being offered anywhere beyond the 300-metre zone, but not within the Bhojshala premises, so that there is no disruption to Hindu worship. Keeping in mind that offering namaz and conducting worship should not lead to any disturbance of peace in the city in the future, we have submitted a memorandum requesting the administration to make such arrangements that no such dispute arises again and communal harmony is maintained."

Details of Supreme Court Order

Meanwhile, Advocate Shreesh Dubey said that the order of the hearing, which was held in the Supreme Court on July 14, was uploaded today and the apex court had directed the state government to arrange an open space adjacent to or at some distance from the protected Bhojshala complex for members of the Muslim community to offer Friday namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm. Dubey also said that the interim arrangement will remain in force until the Supreme Court decides the pending Special Leave Petitions in the matter. He added that the apex court had also directed separate entry and exit arrangements for both communities to avoid any face-to-face interaction and ensure law and order. He further said the matter has been listed before the Supreme Court on August 5 for the next hearing.

Administration to Review Order

Earlier in the day, Dhar Collector and District Magistrate Rajiv Ranjan Meena said the district administration would obtain and examine the Supreme Court's order before implementing its directions and would make all necessary arrangements to maintain peace and law and order in the district.

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