Congress MLA Arif Masood criticized the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s ruling on the Bhojshala complex as biased, arguing that it heavily relied on the Archaeological Survey of India’s report without considering other relevant facts raised by the Muslim side. Masood expressed dissatisfaction with the court’s decision, stating that it lacked a fair evaluation of the longstanding religious dispute due to its sole reliance on the ASI report. He announced plans to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive assessment.
Masood highlighted that the Kamal Maula Mosque, with a history predating India’s independence, was at the center of the dispute that had progressed through various judicial levels before the High Court’s recent ruling. He raised concerns about the credibility of the ASI report, alleging that the petitioners were not adequately involved in the survey process, casting doubt on the report’s accuracy. The Congress legislator urged the state government to prevent any immediate takeover of the premises and called for public calm amid the contentious situation.
The court’s decision designated the ASI-protected monument in Dhar district as a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, overturning a previous order that restricted Hindu worship at the site and granted Muslims the right to offer namaz. The ruling allowed the Muslim community to seek alternative land from the state government for constructing a mosque, while eliciting mixed reactions from political leaders and stakeholders involved in the dispute.
