Bhojshala dispute: ASI's plea in MP HC for more time for survey; Muslim side alleges digging
Indore, Apr 28: The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court is expected to hear on Monday the plea of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) seeking 8 more weeks to complete the scientific survey of Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula mosque complex in the state's Dhar district.
Hindus consider Bhojshala, an ASI -protected 11th century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque. Under an arrangement made by ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the premises on Tuesdays and Muslims offer namaz on Fridays.
An organization named 'Hindu Front for Justice' challenged this arrangement in the Indore bench of MP HC, which, on March 11 this year, directed the ASI to carry out a "scientific survey" of the disputed complex within six weeks. The Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society had challenged this March 11 order. The scientific survey began on March 22.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Muslim side claimed digging was carried out in the complex and asserted that guidelines of the Supreme Court should be adhered to during the scientific study. It should be ensured that the original structure of this monument is not affected or changed, he said.
On April 1, the Supreme Court had said "no physical excavation should be taken which will change the character of the premises in question," while refusing to stay the "scientific survey" of Bhojshala.
On the other hand, a representative of the Hindu side in the case backed the ASI plea for more time by claiming the veracity of the disputed monument will be established and "incriminating evidence" may come to light.
Gopal Sharma, a leader of the Hindu side in the Bhojshala case, told PTI, "During the last six weeks, the foundation has been built for the ASI survey in the Bhojshala complex. If ASI gets additional time for survey, the use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and other advanced equipment can throw up important evidence."
Sharma is the secretary of Dhar-based 'Shri Maharaja Bhoj Seva Sansthan Samiti' and is among the respondents of the PIL filed by 'Hindu Front for Justice' in HC in the Bhojshala case.
Within a radius of 200 metres of Bhojshala, some broken statues and other remains are still visible, which tell the story of the "attack" on this complex in the past, Sharma asserted.
Meanwhile, Dhar City Qazi (head cleric) Waqar Sadiq said, "The Supreme Court has already given directions that physical excavation which would change the basic character of the Bhojshala complex should not be done in the ASI survey."
"But, recently we saw two to three feet pits dug on the floor located in the southern part of the complex. The ASI should survey this complex with complete impartiality and ensure guidelines of the Supreme Court are followed," Sadiq emphasised.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
West Bengal: BJP holds protest against Sandeshkhali videos, TMC worker 'heckled'
Sandeshkhali (WB), May 12: BJP workers on Sunday demonstrated against the circulation of purported videos "to malign the image" of saffron party leaders in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, and allegedly heckled the local TMC legislator for spreading "misinformation" over complaints of sexual abuse, lodged by women in the area.
They also beat up a local TMC activist in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district for allegedly being involved in "disseminating false information about atrocities on women" in the area.
Led by BJP's Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency candidate Rekha Patra, the protestors demonstrated in front of Sandeshkhali Police station, also demanding the release of a party activist arrested in a "false dacoity" case.
Patra accused police of "slapping trumped-up charges on BJP activists" in Sandeshkhali, while "turning a blind eye to the filming and circulation of fake videos" implicating her party leaders and women in the area.
A section of women protestors allegedly dragged the local TMC activist from a house and beat him up in the presence of the party's Sandeshkhali MLA Sukumar Mahata who was there for campaigning, a leader of the ruling party claimed.
As Mahata tried to intervene he was allegedly shoved by the protestors, he said.
Mahata blamed Patra and her supporters for "orchestrating" the attack on the local TMC activist, stating that the "BJP's gameplan to defame Bengal is clear before the people of the state".
"The BJP broke all precedents and tried to disrupt our campaign but we did not retaliate," he said.
A team of police personnel rushed to the spot and managed to rescue the TMC activist.
The riverine Sandeshkhali area — situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata — had been on the boil in February with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against now arrested TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters.
In a purported video that surfaced from Sandeshkhali on Saturday night, a local BJP leader was heard saying that over 70 women had received Rs 2,000 each for taking part in protests against local TMC satrap Sheikh and his aides who were accused of sexual assault and land grab.
In the video, lasting over 45 minutes, a man resembling BJP's Sandeshkhali mandal president Gangadhar Kayal told this to the questioner.
It was Kayal who had earlier said in another purported clip, the first in a series in the past week, that the rape allegations were “staged”.
PTI did not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
One of the women, who demonstrated outside the police station, denied the allegation, and said, "Were we protesting in February for money? The TMC are making false claims".
Patra, the BJP candidate for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat, alleged that a saffron party worker in the area was "arrested on a false dacoity charge but many TMC activists, allegedly involved in atrocities on women, are roaming around freely".
Branding the BJP as a "violent" party, TMC spokesperson and state minister Shashi Panja said, "TMC poll campaigners are being attacked by BJP candidate from Basirhat, Rekha Patra, and her followers in Sandeshkhali after the conspiracy hatched by the BJP has come to light."
The incident of attack on the TMC activist and the party MLA took place on the day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to West Bengal and "possibly under his instruction", the state minister alleged.
BJP candidate for Baranagar assembly bypoll and party's spokesperson Sajal Ghosh said the incident reflected the simmering anger of people of Sandeshkhali against TMC.
"The assault on the TMC activist and manhandling of the local MLA is just a pointer. More such incidents may follow if the TMC does not stop bringing disgrace to the mothers and sisters of Sandeshkhali by releasing such fake videos," he said.
TMC's "diabolical gameplan" to deflect attention from the atrocities on women by its leaders in the area will backfire, Ghosh told reporters.
Patra, before being fielded by BJP, was at the forefront of the series of agitation by women in Sandeshkhali in February and March.
