Dhar (MP): The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team on Thursday dug trenches at the Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex as the court-mandated survey of the site continued on the seventh day.
Ashish Goyal, Gopal Sharma and Abdul Samad, representing Hindus and Muslims, accompanied the ASI team during the survey at the complex in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on March 11 instructed ASI to conduct a 'scientific survey' of the complex within six weeks. The complex is believed to be a temple of Goddess Vagdevi by Hindus and Kamal Maula Mosque by Muslims.
The ASI initiated the survey on March 22.
Samad, president of Maulana Kamal Welfare Society, said, "Muslims are not against the survey, but against inclusion of objects kept inside the complex after 2003, in the survey. We have objected on certain issues before the survey team.”
"The ASI team has dug three 5-6 feet deep trenches behind the complex. They are doing their job and we are cooperating with them," he said.
As per an ASI order of April 7, 2003, Hindus are allowed to worship inside the Bhojshala complex every Tuesday, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at the site on Fridays.
It is believed that Raja Bhoj, a Hindu king, had installed the statue of Vagdevi in Bhojshala in 1034 AD. Hindu groups say the British took this statue to London in 1875.
(Published 28 March 2024, 09:25 IST)
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