National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanoongo on Saturday, 17 May welcomed the Madhya Pradesh High Court's ruling that declared the Kamal Maula Mosque — commonly known as Bhojshala — a temple, saying the judgment has rekindled expectations for the revival of the centuries-old Vijay Surya Mandir in Vidisha. Kanoongo linked the verdict to what he described as India's broader 'cultural revival', drawing parallels with the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya.

The Bhojshala Ruling

The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, comprising Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi, recently delivered a landmark ruling on the Bhojshala complex in Dhar, holding that the site is a temple and that the Hindu community's right to worship there had never historically ceased. The division bench set aside decades of administrative arrangements and compromise formulas that had governed access to the disputed site.

What Kanoongo Said

Speaking to reporters, Kanoongo said: 'We are the people of that fortunate generation who are witnessing the cultural revival of India with their own eyes. We have seen how Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that the struggle of 500 years in Ayodhya comes to an end by building a huge Ram Temple.'

He added that the Bhojshala verdict had raised hopes for the return of the Goddess Saraswati idol and the resumption of worship at the site. 'This verdict has also made us optimistic that Vidisha's Vijay Temple will also achieve this success. I pray to Mahakal that these wishes are fulfilled,' he said.

The Vidisha Dispute

The remarks have drawn fresh attention to the long-standing controversy surrounding the Vijay Surya Mandir in Vidisha, a centuries-old structure where members of the Hindu community have traditionally gathered outside locked gates during the festival of Nag Panchami to offer prayers. In 2024, when permission was sought to enter the premises and conduct rituals inside, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stated that the monument was officially registered as the Bijamandal Mosque — not a temple — citing a gazette notification issued in 1951.

Notably, Vidisha MLA Mukesh Tondon and several Hindu organisations have been demanding a fresh and detailed archaeological survey of the site, arguing that a comprehensive examination is necessary to determine the monument's true historical character and original purpose.

Broader Context

The Bhojshala ruling is being viewed by several groups as a precedent-setting judgment that could influence legal and historical scrutiny of other contested religious sites across India. The debate around the Vidisha structure has gained momentum in the backdrop of a series of judicial interventions in temple-mosque disputes elsewhere in the country. Hindu organisations have expressed hope that disputed religious sites would now face renewed legal examination. This comes amid a broader national conversation about the legal and archaeological status of historically contested monuments.

What Happens Next

Supporters of the Vidisha survey demand argue that without an independent archaeological examination, the site's historical identity cannot be conclusively established. The ASI's 1951 gazette notification remains the current legal basis for the monument's classification, and any challenge to it would likely require fresh legal proceedings or a court-ordered survey. How authorities and courts respond to the renewed pressure will be closely watched by religious groups and legal observers alike.