The Kamal Maula Mosque Welfare Society on Saturday urged the Archaeological Survey of India to exclude from its survey any objects added to the Bhojshala temple and Kamal Maula mosque complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district after 2003, PTI reported.

The Archaeological Survey of India on Friday began its survey of the complex after a March 11 direction from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The court had passed the order on a petition by a group called the Hindu Front for Justice, who claimed that the mosque was constructed by “destroying” Hindu temples.

The 11th-century building, protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, is claimed by both Hindus and Muslims. While the Hindus believe that the Bhojshala is a temple dedicated to the deity Vagdevi, or Saraswati, the building is a mosque for the Muslim community.

Under an arrangement made by the Archaeological Survey of India on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform prayers on the premises on Tuesdays and Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays.

On Saturday, Kamal Maula Mosque Welfare Society President Abdul Samad, one of the key parties in court, told media persons that he had sent his objections to the Archaeological Survey of India by e-mail.

“Our objection is that the Archaeological Survey of India should not include in the survey the objects put up inside Bhojshala after 2003,” he said.

Samad added that there were three Archaeological Survey of India teams working inside the complex.

“I am the only person from the [mosque welfare] society who is inside during the survey,” he said. “My objection is that the Archaeological Survey of India team should work at one place and not at three places.”

On Sunday, the team from the Archaeological Survey of India continued their survey for the third consecutive day. The team was accompanied by senior police and administrative officials.

Two petitioners from the Hindu side – Ashish Goyal and Gopal Sharma – were also present at the complex.

The case

In May 2022, the Hindu Front for Justice filed a public interest litigation against the Archaeological Survey of India’s 2003 arrangement. The group has argued that the Kamal Maula mosque was constructed during the reign of Alauddin Khilji between the 13th and 14th centuries by “destroying and dismantling ancient structures of previously constructed Hindu temples”, reported The Indian Express.

On March 11, a bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Devnarayan Mishra said that a comprehensive report of the survey, prepared by a five-member expert committee, should be submitted within six weeks.

The bench has asked for a “complete scientific investigation, survey and excavation, through the adoption of latest methods, techniques and modes of ground penetrating radar and global positioning system survey” of the site.

The court also asked the committee to adopt the “carbon dating method for ascertaining the age, life of various structures both above and beneath the ground; permanent, movable and immovable structures both beneath as well as above the ground, constituting the walls, pillars, floors, surfaces, upper top and sanctum sanctorum of the entire complex”.

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