Following the directions of the Supreme Court, the district administration and police allowed the proceedings of worship by the Hindu community from sunrise on Friday, Vasant Panchami, at the Bhojshala-Kamaal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
File Photo: IANS
Following the directions of the Supreme Court, the district administration and police allowed the proceedings of worship by the Hindu community from sunrise on Friday, Vasant Panchami, at the Bhojshala-Kamaal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
The Supreme Court on Thursday had ordered that Hindus can worship from sunrise to sunset, with a gap between 1 pm to 3 pm allowing Muslims to offer Namaz, at the disputed 11th century structure.
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The structure, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected 11th -century monument, is considered by Hindus to be a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while the Muslim community regards it as the Kamaal Maula mosque.
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Today, a large number of Hindu devotees began converging at the disputed 11th-century site since early morning, and their numbers increased as the day progressed.
In view of both the Hindu festival and Namaz prayers, falling on a Friday, around 8,000 police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in the historic city to prevent any untoward incident.
According to Dhar Collector Priyank Mishra, the Hindu community’s prayers were proceeding smoothly amid tight security arrangements at the disputed complex.
He said the police and administration have made such arrangements that both the Hindu side’s prayers and the Muslim side’s namaz would be conducted without any interruption.
Dhar SP Mayank Awasthi said that the entire city has been mapped, and sensitive areas have been identified.
He said that the disputed complex has been divided into six sectors, while the city has been divided into seven zones, and every street is being monitored.
Awasthi stated that the disputed complex is also being monitored with the help of drones and CCTV cameras.
The SP said that social media is also being monitored to prevent the spread of any inflammatory messages.
As Basant Panchami came on Friday this year, a contentious issue erupted.
The Apex Court heard the matter and gave its decision on Thursday providing separate timings for members of both religions to offer prayers the same day at the site.
As per an already existing order of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) dated 7 April 2003, Hindus have been given the right to worship every Tuesday at what they claim as Bhojshala, while the Muslim community can offer prayers on Fridays, at what they claim to be the Kamaal Maula Mosque, both names given to the same structure, which has led to a years-long dispute.
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