Dhar Muslim society to move court against namaz arrangements at Bhojshala on Basant Panchami

Indore: Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society in MP's Dhar district on Saturday termed the namaaz arrangements at the disputed Vahgvedi Temple-Kamal Maula Bhojshala site on Basant Panchami on Friday as ‘condemnable, aimed to defraud' the Muslim community and ‘a contempt of Supreme Court' and threatened to seek legal action against the Dhar district administration.Society functionary, Abdul Samad, told mediapersons that the administration failed to implement a Supreme Court order that mandated namaaz for the Muslim party between 1pm and 3pm with separate entry and exit within the premises. "The court gave a clear order that space for 1pm to 3pm namaaz should be provided to the Muslim party with separate entry and exit and should be given within the premises. The administration did not give us that opportunity," he said.Samad said the community raised objections with the collector, but these concerns were not addressed. "We wrote to the collector raising, but they did not pay attention to us. We will move court and plead for contempt of the court."The society's main objection centred on the location designated for namaaz. Samad claimed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) map is incorrect. He said the community presented evidence to the collector showing that survey numbers 317, 316, 312, 912, and 918 are listed as Waqf cemetery.He said the community's position remained unchanged. "We will not offer namaaz in the cemetery. We have to offer salat inside the premises," he said.Samad said the administration's arrangement amounted to what he called ‘fraud, fraudulent and fake prayers (namaaz)', and said the community would return to court.Dhar district collector Priyank Mishra told mediapersons after the Basant Panchami event, "Hindus and Muslims were allowed to offer prayers and namaaz uninterrupted. There was a place designated for Muslims to offer namaaz inside the complex, which was informed to them in writing. Around 15-17 Muslim community members offered uninterrupted namaaz between 1pm and 3pm."Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque remained a dispute site that led to communal flare-ups in Dhar town in the past. Hindus claimed the site as the Vaghdevi (Goddess Saraswati) temple before a mosque was built over it. Muslims disputed the claim and said a 1902-03 ASI survey established that there was no temple there.A fresh row started over a 2003 ASI order under which Hindus were permitted to worship at Bhojshala every Tuesday, while Muslims offered namaz every Friday afternoon, typically from 1 pm to 3 pm. However, on Basant Panchami, Hindus were granted access for the entire day to perform puja, if it did not clash with a Friday.On Thursday, the Supreme Court gave clarity to religious activities at the contested site on Friday, offering Hindus access from dawn to dusk, and Muslims a two-hour window between 1 pm and 3 pm for namaaz.