Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 16 (ANI): A member of the Bhoj Utsav Samiti, Ashok Kumar Jain, on Saturday welcomed the Madhya Pradesh High Court verdict declaring the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex a temple, saying their “long-standing battle” had finally borne fruit and urged the Hindu community to come forward and offer prayers at the site.
“Our long-standing battle bore fruit today, and we call on the Hindu society to come and offer prayers,” Jain said.
He alleged that restrictions were imposed on Hindu worship during the tenure of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh.
“We used to offer prayers here every Tuesday, but the Congress state government under Digvijay Singh put restrictions on us and allowed us only once a year on Basant Panchami, while giving the rights to offer Namaz to the Muslims,” he said.
Jain further claimed that protests and Satyagraha movements were carried out over the issue. He also targeted former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over the issue.
“We protested and did Satyagraha, during which three of our workers died as well… Hindus were tortured here just the way they were tortured under the Mamata government… The workers did not back down, and finally, the government had to bow. Hindus were given the right to worship every Tuesday on April 8, 2003,” he said.
Calling the verdict historic, Jain said the ruling was based on evidence and historical findings.
“It is a matter of joy that the verdict was delivered based on the report, and this was declared as the temple of Goddess Saraswati,” he added.
He also expressed hope that the idol of Goddess Saraswati, currently housed in a museum in London, would be brought back to India.
“We are waiting for the idol to be repatriated from London as directed by the court to the state and central governments,” Jain said.
Meanwhile, several devotees offered prayers inside the premises of the Bhojshala complex and recited Hanuman Chalisa after the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh HC granted the Hindu side the right to worship at the disputed site.
A devotee expressed happiness over being able to offer prayers without restrictions or fees.
“We are delighted that we were able to have darshan, and there was no fee, unlike previous times. Now the entire Hindu society can conduct a pooja every day. We are elated after yesterday’s verdict, and all of us were crying and dancing with joy,” the devotee told the reporters.
Another Bhoj Utsav Samiti member, Rajesh Shukla, urged the Muslim side to accept the verdict.
Speaking to reporters here, Shukla welcomed the High Court judgment and said devotees were now able to perform worship rituals without restrictions after centuries.
“Thanks to the verdict of the High Court and the struggle of the people of Dhar, that this day has come after centuries, when we are organising a pooja of the Goddess without any obstacle. We are waiting for the day when the idol of the Goddess will come, and we will be able to offer prayers,” he said.
“The Muslim side should accept the verdict of the High Court as per the Constitution mandates, just like we were ready to accept,” he added.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday ruled that the religious character of the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex was that of Bhojshala, a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), dating back to the Bhoj-Parmar dynasty.
The court also partially set aside the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) April 7, 2003 order, which had permitted the Muslim community to offer Namaz at the site on Fridays.
ASI lawyer Aviral Vikas Khare said the Bhojshala complex would continue to remain under the protection and supervision of the ASI.
“The entire administration and regulation of this monument shall remain exclusively with the ASI,” Khare said.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, termed the verdict “historic” and said the court had recognised the Bhojshala complex as belonging to Raja Bhoj.
The advocate further revealed that the court addressed the demand for the repatriation of the idol, which is currently housed in a museum in London.
Meanwhile, two caveat petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court of India, anticipating a possible challenge to the High Court verdict by the Muslim side. (ANI)