Supreme Court Balances Religions at Bhojshala for Basant Panchami

The Supreme Court of India has allowed Hindu prayers from sunrise to sunset and Muslim prayers between 1 pm and 3 pm at the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque on Basant Panchami. The court seeks mutual respect and cooperation, directing that appropriate spaces be arranged for both religious activities to ensure orderliness.

The Supreme Court of India has permitted Hindu prayers from sunrise to sunset and Muslim prayers between 1 pm and 3 pm at the contested Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque on Basant Panchami. This decision comes amid requests from both communities for religious activities at the site.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi urged both parties to exercise mutual respect and work with the authorities to maintain law and order. Arrangements for separate ingress and egress are to be made to facilitate both groups' religious practices.

The site, regarded by Hindus as a temple to Goddess Saraswati and by Muslims as a mosque, has been under an arrangement by the Archaeological Survey of India since 2003. The court emphasized a compliant approach and dismissed appeals against the high court's orders related to a scientific survey of the complex, instructing the completion of procedural formalities.

(With inputs from agencies.)