Old Jain temple at Bhojshala site? Madhya Pradesh high court seeks replies on plea

INDORE: The Indore bench Madhya Pradesh high court on Friday directed the state, Centre and other respondents in Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Masjid complex case to file their replies to a PIL claiming existence of a medieval Jain temple and gurukul within the disputed monument in Dhar district.The bench, comprising Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Rajesh Kumar Gupta, issued the directions on a PIL by Salekh Chand Jain, a Delhi-based social worker, seeking right to worship for the Jain community at the monument that has been a bone of contention between Hindu and Muslim communities. The bench directed, "Certain objections are raised by learned counsel for respondents regarding the maintainability of the present petition as a PIL.

Considering the same, they are granted time to file their short reply/objection before the next date of hearing."The current PIL claims that the Bhojshala complex once housed a Jain temple and gurukul, and therefore, under Articles 25, 26, and 29 of the Constitution (dealing with religious freedom and cultural rights), followers of Jainism have the right to worship in the complex.The petitioner also claims that the idol of Bhojshala complex - currently housed in the British Museum in London - is that of Goddess Ambika - a Jain Yakshini. Hindus have been claiming that the idol was that of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati) and the monument was in fact 'Saraswati Sadan'.The Muslims had been claiming that the structure was Kamal Maula Mosque - a fact they claim was verified by ASI as far back as 1903.