Bhopal: The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court has asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to submit its survey report on the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque complex in the state’s Dhar district by July 15.
The ASI had on July 2 sought four-week time to submit the survey report, which was conducted over 12 weeks to know the religious identity of the disputed 11th century monument Bhojshala.
“The MP high court, Indore bench, gave only 11 days to submit the report. The court will hear the matter on July 22,” said Ashish Goyal, the petitioner in the case.
The court had previously asked the ASI to submit its complete survey report by July 2, but the agency moved a plea seeking another four weeks for submission of the report.
According to the ASI, in the scientific survey done by using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)-Geographic Information System (GIS) and carbon dating method, 39 idols, along with 1700 walls, pillars and other scripture, were found.
Following its findings, the ASI contended that the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) had sought three weeks to study the huge data collected and urged for an extension of four weeks to submit the survey report.
Representatives from both Hindu and Muslim communities were present during the survey to see the findings. The Hindus consider the Bhojshala to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslims call it Kamal Maula Mosque.
Earlier, a petition was filed by the Hindu Front for Justice on May 2, 2022, against the offering of namaz at the Bhojshala. The ASI’s 2003 order prohibited Hindus from offering daily puja at the site.
On the lines of a Supreme Court directive for a survey within the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, the high court’s Indore bench on March 11 directed ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Bhojshala complex on an application filed by the Hindu organisation and asked to submit the report within six weeks which was later extended to 12 weeks.
In its latest order on Thursday, the bench said that sufficient time has already been given to the ASI.
