Bhopal/Dhar, Jan 22 (NationPress) The Opposition Congress expressed its approval on Thursday regarding the Supreme Court's judgment that allows both the Muslim and Hindu communities to conduct prayers at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque located in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari remarked that the Supreme Court has rendered its decision on the Bhojshala matter, emphasizing that it is the responsibility of every citizen to adhere to the ruling and maintain public order.

“The state government of Madhya Pradesh should ensure that individuals from both communities can perform their prayers at Bhojshala. I trust that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will instruct officials to follow the directives laid out by the Supreme Court,” Patwari communicated to IANS.

Congress MLA Arif Masood, a member of the Muslim community, expressed his support for the Supreme Court’s ruling during a phone conversation with IANS.

“Historically, both Hindus and Muslims have prayed at this site. We believe that visitors from both communities will uphold peace and respect each other's beliefs,” Masood stated.

He further noted that the apex court's ruling sends a message across Hindustan that this is a message of love, not hate.

“In 2016, I had filed a petition in the Indore High Court, and a similar decision was reached then. Today, the Supreme Court has based its ruling on that precedent, mandating that the ASI order be enforced, allowing for both namaz and puja to be conducted,” he shared.

Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh commented on the situation, stating that the dispute has persisted for years, but people have been praying peacefully at the site since 2003-04. “It is now the responsibility of the state government to implement the SC's ruling,” Singh stated, welcoming the judgment.

As of the time of this report, the ruling BJP in the state had not issued an official comment.

With the Hindu festival of Basant Panchami coinciding with the day when Muslims hold their weekly namaz, there is heightened vigilance in the Dhar district as individuals from both communities plan to visit the disputed site for prayers.

The Supreme Court, during its hearing on Thursday, authorized Hindu prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami and permitted Muslims to offer namaz from 1 PM to 3 PM at the location.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi urged both communities to exhibit mutual respect and cooperate with the local and state administration to uphold public order.

The Court instructed the Dhar district administration to ensure law and order arrangements are in place for the prayers by both communities.

The Bhojshala is an ASI-protected 11th-century monument that Hindus revere as a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community refers to it as the Kamal Maula mosque.

According to an arrangement established by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the premises on Tuesdays, while Muslims conduct namaz in the complex on Fridays.