The Supreme Court has allowed Hindu community to hold prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami tomorrow at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, while permitting Muslims to offer namaz from 1 pm to 3 pm on the day.

 

The top court also directed that a list of persons from the Muslim community coming for namaz be given to the district administration. 

 

The two communities had sought nod for religious activities at the Bhojshala complex on Friday, when Saraswati Puja will also be celebrated on the occasion of Basant Panchami. 

 

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi made an appeal to both sides to observe mutual respect and cooperate with the state and district administration for the maintenance of law and order.

 

It directed the district administration to make law and order arrangements at the site for the offering of prayers.

 

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

 

Under an arrangement made by the ASI on 7th of April in 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays and Muslims offer ‘namaz’ in the complex on Fridays.