The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday, 16 May welcomed the Madhya Pradesh High Court's ruling recognising the Bhojshala complex in Dhar as a temple, with leaders from both parties calling for the restoration of the 'original religious identity' of disputed places of worship across India. The verdict has reignited a broader political conversation around contested religious sites, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura.

Key Reactions from BJP Leaders

BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said the court had acted on solid historical evidence. 'Raja Bhoj's property was found here (Bhojshala) and Goddess Saraswati used to be worshipped at the site. So, it is good that the court has taken this decision on the basis of such evidences,' she said. Sehrawat added that while the original cultural identity of the site should be restored, she acknowledged that separate space could be provided for construction of a mosque.

BJP MP Atul Garg expressed frustration that such disputes require judicial resolution at all. 'This is a very strange and sad thing that in India such cases have to go to court,' he said, urging communities that had 'seized temples and converted them into their religious sites' to return them voluntarily.

Bihar Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal argued that facts are increasingly coming to light. 'Gradually, as facts are coming to light, both the Judiciary and the general public are beginning to understand and are recognising such sites according to their original religious identity,' he said.

BJP spokesperson Ajay Alok called the ruling 'historic' and urged the Muslim side to 'accept the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb and abide by this decision and file an appeal for allocation of some other land for their mosque.'

Shiv Sena-UBT Weighs In

Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey also welcomed the Madhya Pradesh High Court's decision. 'We are grateful for the decision which has been granted keeping in mind the sentiments of crores of Hindu brothers and sisters,' he said. Dubey drew a parallel with the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid verdict, saying the current atmosphere mirrors the celebrations that followed that judgment. He also expressed optimism that the Shri Krishna Janmasthan temple in Mathura, disputed with the Shahi Idgah Mosque, would similarly be 'liberated.'

What the Court Said

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, in its ruling, recognised the Bhojshala complex as a temple. Notably, the court also suggested that the state government consider allocating alternative land for a mosque, in consideration of the Muslim community — a recommendation that mirrors the approach taken in the Supreme Court's Ram Janmabhoomi judgment.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

Hindu petitioners have long claimed that the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi was constructed over the ancient Kashi Vishwanath temple, and that the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura stands on the site of the Shri Krishna Janmasthan. Both cases are currently before courts. The Bhojshala verdict is likely to energise petitioners in those proceedings. This comes amid a wider legal and political debate over the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which bars changes to the religious character of any place of worship as it stood on 15 August 1947 — with the Ram Janmabhoomi site being the sole statutory exception. Whether the Bhojshala ruling will influence those ongoing cases remains to be seen as legal challenges are expected.