MP High Court Rules Bhojshala Is Vagdevi Temple, Quashes Namaz Order & Relies On ASI Report

Added: 2026-05-15

[00:00:00]Big verdict from the Madhya Pradesh High Court as it says that Bhala the disputed site was in fact the Vag Dvi Mandr and the center of learning. This is a big relief for the Hindu petitioners while the high court says that the Muslim side can go to the government. It is it will be the government's responsibility to give them alternate land. The court has very clearly said that the religious character of that particular site is held to be the bhud shalaw temple of goddess vagi saraswati. This as the high court has accepted the ASI's survey report. Remember the bhala uh kamala mosque dispute had been going on in court for the last couple of years.

[00:00:48]There was a demand by the Hindu side that the ASI circular which allowed for namaz to be uh offered at this particular site was incorrect. And today the high court has put its stamp on the ASI report. That's the breaking news that we're bringing to you that the Madhya Pradesh High Court has held that the original character of the Bhala the that structure was of the Bhala as a center of Sanskrit learning.

[00:01:23]Muslim side can approach government for a separate land in Dhar district to continue their prayers. That is what the court has said and on your screens right now viewers are the images of the security arrangements that have been done in the Dhar district because remember this had been a very very sensitive social religious flash point also there was a uh fear that there may be some sort of uh religious uh backlash some sort of uh interreligious backlash in the area after this verdict and that is why on your screens right now is the strict security cordon that has been put in the Dhar district.

[00:02:07]The ASI will continue management of that particular structure. Remember what uh even though the structure of has been declared a Hindu uh temple and the Sanskrit learning center, it still continues to be an ASI protected monument and therefore the administration the management will remain with the ASI u at pres as it has been for the last several years. But the circular that had permitted namaz to be offered at the site has now been quashed. The court has said and I'm we're reading out extracts from the judgment here that we've that have been read out in the open court.

[00:02:51]The high court has clearly said we have considered the material and the survey report. We have considered the principle that archaeology is a science and the court can safely rely on the conclusions derived on the basis of scientific studies by the ASI. Every government has the constitutional obligation to preserve the structure of archaeological importance. That there is a constitutional duty on the government to sanction funds for providing basic amenities to pilgrims maintain law and order. It has also said that historical literature produces the that uh the nature of the structure.

[00:03:31]Every government has the constitutional obligation to preserve protect not only ancient monuments or structures but all and not only as temples but of areas of archaeological and historical importance but and also the sanctum sanctorum. The court has also noted that the continuity of Hindu worship at the site which has never been extinguished and historical literature places uh the and establish I beg you pardon establishes the character of the disputed area. Sish Oja is joining me on the phone line on this story. Swish big verdict from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. We've seen this case playing out over the last several years. What more has the court said and what are you picking up from the petitioners?

[00:04:23]>> Uh well definitely a big verdict Anisha because we know the dispute over the Bala complex has been one of the most longunning religious and archaeological disputes. The court has today very clearly said that the religious character of the area is that is one of a temple of goddess Saraspati. Not just that the court has also very clearly said that the original character of the go shala based on the records was one of the center of conscript learning. As far as the Muslim side assistance on the order comes as a big relief for the Hindu side. For the Muslim side the court has said that they can approach the government for a separate land in Bhar district to continue their prayers.

[00:05:00]The court has also set aside a 2003 AI AI order which had restricted the rights of uh the Hindus to worship within the complex and it allowed the Muslim community to offer the prayers at the Bala complex. The court has also very specifically highlighted uh the importance of the archae archaeological survey of India's findings uh stating that uh the they have very uh they have in depth considered the principle of archaeology as a science and based on that they can very safely say that the conclusions that have derived that have been derived by the ASI based on scientific studies can be relied upon.

[00:05:38]So they have relied upon the AI's uh report and the AI findings stressing on the fact that these findings are a result of scientific studies conducted by the archaeological survey of India.

[00:05:49]Not just that they've also stressed on the fact that the government has a constitutional obligation to increase.

[00:05:54]>> All right. Thank you very much for that.

[00:05:56]The major verdict from the Madhya Pradesh High Court today regarding the Dhar Bhala case. The court has declared very clearly that it will rely on the ASI's scientific findings.