Bhojshala Dispute: Temple or Mosque? Court Deliberates

A Muslim petitioner challenges claims that Bhojshala was a temple destroyed in 1305, presenting historical evidence in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The site, contested between being originally a temple or later a mosque, awaits further deliberation. The court will hear more arguments on May 4.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court is currently reviewing the controversial debate over the Bhojshala complex, with discussions centering on whether it was originally a temple destroyed by Alauddin Khilji's forces in 1305. Justices Shukla and Awasthi are assessing competing narratives regarding the site's historic identity.

Advocate Touseef Warsi, representing the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society, argues there is no documentary evidence of a Saraswati temple at Bhojshala being demolished by Khilji's invasion. He points to historical records, including those by historians V D Mahajan and R C Majumdar, which do not mention any temple destruction.

The case has also noted conflicting statements from the Archeological Survey of India about the site's history. Further hearings are scheduled, with the next session set for May 4 to continue examining this long-standing religious contention.