Petitioner claims Hindu symbols found during ASI's Bhojshala survey

Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): A petitioner on Tuesday claimed that a basement with Hindu religious symbols and objects has been found during the ongoing survey at the Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district.

The Muslim side, however, alleged that it was a misleading claim.

The survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), ordered by the Madhya Pradesh High Court in response to an application filed by a Hindu organisation, started on March 22.

On Monday, the Supreme Court refused to stay the survey at the medieval structure which both Hindus and Muslims claim as their own. No action should be taken without its permission on the outcome of the exercise, the apex court said.

Kuldeep Tiwari, a petitioner on the Hindu side, told reporters here that things which were not visible earlier were coming to light now.

A basement was found on the right side of the sanctum sanctorum of Goddess Saraswati, he said, adding that vandalised idols were believed to be kept there, and would be found during the survey.

Hindu religious objects and symbols such as `Ashtavakra Kamal', Sanskrit inscriptions, `Shankh' and `Hawan Kund' besides idols including one of Lord Hanuman have been found in the basement and it indicated that Bhojshala was a Hindu temple, Tiwari claimed.

Kamal Moula Welfare Society's Abdul Samad said the Muslim side was happy with the SC order which stopped excavation. The Hindu litigants were spreading misleading information through the media, he alleged.

Hindus consider Bhojshala, an ASI-protected 11th-century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque.

After the dispute began, the ASI formulated an arrangement on April 7, 2003, whereby Hindus perform puja on the premises on Tuesday, and Muslims offer namaz on Friday.

A Supreme Court bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and P K Mishra on Monday issued notices to the Centre, Madhya Pradesh government, ASI and others on a plea filed by Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society challenging the March 11 order of the High Court ordering the survey.

"It is made clear that no physical excavation should be taken which will change the character of the premises," the SC said.

In its order, the high court directed the ASI to carry out the survey within six weeks. The order came on an application filed by the Hindu Front for Justice.