SC agrees to consider listing plea against scientific survey of "Bhojshala"
Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider listing a plea against a «scientific survey» of "Bhojshala", a medieval-era structure in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district which both Hindus and Muslims claim as their own. A petition was filed in the top court by the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society challenging the March 11 order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court for a «scientific survey» of the shrine to ascertain it belonged to which community.
In its March 11 order, the high court order had directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out a survey of the Bhojshala complex within six weeks.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti agreed to consider listing the matter after advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for the Hindu petitioners, submitted that the ASI has already filed its report.
He also informed the bench that the Hindu side has filed its reply to the pending petition.
Under an arrangement devised by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays, while Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays.
On April 1, the top court had refused to stay a scientific survey of Bhojshala, an ASI-protected 11th-century monument.
Hindus consider Bhojshala a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque.
The top court, while seeking responses on the plea, had said no action should be taken without its leave on the outcome of the impugned survey.
«It is made clear that no physical excavation should be
