The Supreme Court has permitted the Muslim community to offer Friday prayers at a dargah located near the disputed Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district, while directing the state government to facilitate the arrangement.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, while hearing the matter on Thursday, ordered the Madhya Pradesh government to ensure that Muslims are allowed to offer prayers at the site between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. every Friday.
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The court’s latest direction follows its July 14 order, in which it had asked the state government to identify a separate open space near the Bhojshala complex for offering prayers until the dispute is finally adjudicated.
The Muslim side subsequently approached the apex court, alleging that the alternative site identified by the authorities was around 1.3 kilometres away from the complex. The petitioners requested that a location closer to the dargah be provided so that the mosque remains visible during prayers.
Appearing for the Madhya Pradesh government, Additional Solicitor General K.M. Natraj told the court that the state was focused solely on maintaining law and order and was not seeking to favour either side in the dispute.
“As a state, we don’t want to get into competing rights. We are only on the law and order situation,” Natraj submitted before the bench.
The matter relates to the long-standing dispute over the Bhojshala complex in Dhar, where both Hindu and Muslim communities have laid claim to religious rights. The case remains pending before the Supreme Court.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
