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Hindu outfit seeks to revive 'Bhojshala' controversy

Bhopal/Dhar, Jan 27 (PTI) Notwithstanding the ban imposed by Dhar district administration, a right wing organisation is seeking to revive the controversial issue of 'Bhojshala' by taking out a Palki Yatra up to the ASI protected monument on the occasion of the Basant Panchmi festival tomorrow. 'Bhojshala' is an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument where Hindus performs puja every Tuesday and Muslims offer Namaz every Friday. During the Basant Panchami festival, Hindus are allowed to perform puja at the monument from sunrise to sunset. The above arrangement was made by the ASI following regular disputes between the two communities over the issue of ownership of the monument. Hindu's feel that an idol of Waghdevi (Goddess Saraswati) existed at the Bhojshala and was removed by Muslim invaders, to be later taken away by the Britishers. Muslims treat the monument as Kamal Moula Mosque. The idol of Waghdevi is at presently housed at a museum at London. Hindutva organisations had asked Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy to take up the case of bringing back the idol from UK. The Palki Yatra was proposed to be taken out by the Maa Waghdevi Saraswati Janmotsav Samiti's organiser Navalkishore Sharma, a former RSS worker. He had observed a fast-unto-death over the issue of handing over a replica of Waghdevi in the custody of police for carrying it in the daylong procession on the occasion of Basant Panchmi festival. However, yesterday the administration forcibly ended his fast and referred him to Indore for treatment. The district administration had seized the replica of the Waghdevi idol at Gwalior, while it was being brought for the Basant Panchmi festival last year on the grounds that it may disrupt peace in the town. Dhar Collector BM Sharma said that only the Bhoj Utsav Samiti, another separate outfit, is authorised to celebrate the Basant Panchmi festival in the town. He said considering the sensitive nature of the proposed yatra by Navalkishore, the district administration has banned it. "The administration has banned the proposed Palki Yatra in the town, imposed section 144 (unlawful assembly of people) and deployed large number of security personnel in the sensitive town as a precautionary measure," he told PTI. Already, 20 persons have been arrested by police for disrupting peace in the town, he added. (More) PTI COR MAS VKV