Supreme Court Faces Contentious Bhojshala Verdict Challenge

The Supreme Court prepares for potential appeals against the Madhya Pradesh High Court's declaration of the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex as a Hindu temple. This verdict ends a long-standing religious dispute, previously managed by the ASI. Both Hindu and Muslim claims and their religious rights were considered.

Hours after the Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar is a temple, two caveat pleas were filed in the Supreme Court. Both petitions, backed by Hindu parties, anticipate a challenge from the Muslim community, urging the top court to hear their positions before issuing orders.

The longstanding dispute over the site, claimed by Hindus as a temple and by Muslims as a mosque, had resulted in a shared religious arrangement. This was managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), who kept the monument under supervision. The High Court, however, quashed an ASI arrangement from 2003 that limited Hindu worship rights.

The ruling identified the site's religious character as Bhojshala, a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The court called for the Union Government and ASI to oversee the site's administration. It also noted that attempts had been made to reclaim a Saraswati idol from a London museum. Meanwhile, it suggested accommodating the Muslim community's religious needs by offering land for a mosque in Dhar.