ASI submits Bhojshala survey report to Madhya Pradesh high court

MHOW: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted a 2,000-page report on its scientific survey of the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque complex to Madhya Pradesh high court's Indore bench on Monday.

ASI counsel Himanshu Joshi handed to the HC registry the report of the 98-day survey that began on March 22. The next hearing in the HC is on July 22. The Supreme Court has said that without its permission no action should be taken on the outcome of the ASI survey.

Ashish Goyal of Hindu Front for Justice (HFJ), whose petition in the HC led to the survey, told TOI, "The report contains details of nearly 1,710 archeological remains of various objects, including broken idols of 39 gods and goddesses."

Goyal was certain that the monument will be proven to be from the King Bhoj era, constructed in 1034. "Many idols and statues have also been found, which could be as old as the Parmar dynasty's rule," he added.

Muslims have been contesting the claims and allege that the objects were placed in the vicinity in a bid to declare it a Hindu site. Dhar Shahar Qazi Waqar Sadiq said, "We know that any decision in this case will be taken only by the Supreme Court. I appeal to both sides to refrain from considering the findings of the report as the final truth in the interest of peace and harmony of Dhar town."

Representatives from both sides were allowed by the HC to accompany the ASI team during the survey every day.

On March 11, while hearing a petition filed by HFJ, the Madhya Pradesh HC ordered a "multi-disciplinary scientific survey" of the Bhojshala temple-cum-Kamal Maula Mosque to "ascertain the true character, nature and form of the disputed site".

While Hindus consider Bhojshala as a temple to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), Muslims say it is the Kamal Maula mosque.

The HFJ petition says the "Vagdevi temple" in Bhojshala predates the Kamal Maulana mosque and demands that the old monument be restored. It has also challenged an ASI order of 2003 that allows both sides to pray at the disputed site - Hindus on Tuesdays and Muslims on Fridays.

The Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society challenged the March 11 HC order in the Supreme Court, which refused to stay the survey but said no action should be taken without its permission on its outcome.

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