ASI team begins survey of Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh

A team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has commenced a survey of the contentious Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex located in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.

Advocate Shreesh Dubey, representing the Hindu side, stated, “Four petitions are currently ongoing… The survey began today at 6 am. The report will be submitted soon to the Court.”

The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently permitted the ASI to conduct the survey at the disputed site.

“In compliance with the instructions of the High Court, we have received a letter from the Additional Director of the Indian Culture Department. After receiving the letter, today we inspected the Bhojshala premises. We discussed what kind of security arrangements are to be provided during the survey and what is their (ASI) demand,” said Dhar Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Singh.

He assured that adequate security measures would be put in place for the survey to proceed smoothly.

“In compliance with the instructions of the High Court, whatever security arrangements are required, so that the survey work is completed peacefully, we will provide that. I want to appeal to the entire public of Dhar district that the High Court has directed that the survey work should be completed by ASI, everyone should cooperate in it and we will provide complete arrangements to ensure that there is no hindrance in the survey work,” he added.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain confirmed that the Madhya Pradesh High Court had granted permission for the ASI survey at the disputed site.

The Bhojshala is considered by Hindus to be a temple dedicated to ‘Vagdevi’, while Muslims refer to it as the Kamal Maula Mosque.

The court order, as shared by advocate Vishnu Jain, stated, “It is contended on behalf of the petitioners whilst pressing the interlocutory application that survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is a statutory duty, which the ASI ought to have performed long back.”

“Any other study, investigation, or inquiry, which the said five (5) member committee of the ASI feel it is necessary to be undertaken without ‘destroying, defacing, or destructing the original nature of the whole complex be undertaken, towards ascertaining the true nature and character of the Bhojshala Temple cum Kamal Maula Mosque for arriving at the truth,” the order added.

The order specified that the right to worship and perform rituals at the disputed premises would be considered only after the Expert Committee submitted its report.