The Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex dispute- Explained

It was in the month of March when the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex situated in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh became the site for a scientific survey. The survey was conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India. This came after the ruling of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on March 11 that instructed the Archaeological Survey of India to hold a survey of the area in a period of six weeks. Both Muslims and Hindus actually stake their claims on the Kamal Maula Masjid and Vagdevi temple respectively, thereby making the area a contested site.

View of the Supreme Court

Recently, on April 1, the Supreme Court cautioned the Archaeological Survey of India team, the district administration, and the police of the area that there should not be any physical excavation carried out that would actually change the character of the premises in any sense. It was after the appeal of the mosque against the High Court's order that this cautionary note by the Supreme Court came forward. Moreover, it is the order of the apex court that there should not be any further actions taken on the outcome of the excavation sans the permission.

What is the present scenario?

The much-conflicted site of the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula compound has seen a temporary halt in the fight for the past 2 decades. It was in the year 2003 that an arrangement was made that made it possible for the Hindus in the region to perform puja in the area on Tuesdays and the Muslims to perform namaaz on Fridays. A few everyday issues arose and went, but nothing major happened and the system was going smoothly. However, recently, the Hindu Front for Justice filed a petition in the High Court. the petition claimed that the complex was actually a temple constructed in 1034. The petition claimed that the mosque was built in the area at the time of the reign of Alauddin Khilji, the Sultanate King in the 13th century, by means of destroying the ancient structures of the Hindu temples constructed previously.

In response, the Muslims claim that there was no demolition of any existing place of worship by Maula Kamaluddin Chisti, a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya after whom the mosque was actually named. Maula Kamaluddin Chisti is said to have come to Dhar in the year 1291. For about four decades, Maula Kamaluddin Chisti preached in the area. The tomb of Maula Kamaluddin Chisti was constructed beside the mosque inside the complex. Moreover, the Muslims claim that the ASI mentioned in its records in the year 1902 about the Kamal Maula mosque.