Archaeological Survey of India submits Bhojshala survey report to Madhya Pradesh High Court

Indore, July 15

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Monday submitted its scientific survey report of the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal-Maula mosque complex to the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

ASI’s counsel Himanshu Joshi handed over the more than 2,000-page report to the HC’s registry.

“I have submitted the report,” Joshi told PTI over phone.

The HC will hear the case on July 22, he said.

On July 4, the HC ordered the ASI to present by July 15 the complete report of the nearly three-month-long survey on the premises of the disputed 11th-century monument, the subject of a wrangle between Hindus and Muslims.

The Hindu community considers Bhojshala as a temple of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim side calls it Kamal Maula mosque.

The HC on March 11 ordered the ASI, the country’s premier agency for archaeological researches and protection of cultural heritage, to conduct a scientific survey of the complex on an application by ‘Hindu Front for Justice’.

It then gave six weeks to the ASI to complete the survey. The ASI later sought more time for the report submission.

The ASI began surveying the disputed complex on March 22 which ended recently.

The agency had issued an order on April 7, 2003, concerning access to the monument after a controversy erupted.

As per the order, which has been in place for the last 21 years, Hindus are allowed to worship in the Bhojshala on Tuesdays, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at the place on Fridays.

The Hindu Front for Justice has challenged this arrangement in its petition.