Bhojshala Verdict: National General Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, Swami Jitendranand Saraswati has expressed happiness over the important decision of the High Court regarding the Bhojshala located in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. He has described this decision as a victory for India’s cultural consciousness and historical truth. Swamiji said that the court has respected the sentiments of crores of devotees by giving its verdict on the basis of archaeological facts, historical evidence and the report of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Historical and preserved temple of Bhojshala Maa Vagdevi
Swami Jitendranand Saraswati said that Madhya Pradesh High Court has clearly acknowledged in its decision that Bhojshala is a historical and protected place, which is the temple of Goddess Saraswati i.e. Mother Vagdevi. He said that the court has given this decision keeping in mind the provisions of the ASI Act and the principles established in the Ayodhya dispute case. According to him, this decision is related to the respect of Mother Vagdevi, a symbol of Indian culture, education and knowledge tradition.
It is important to cancel ASI’s 2003 order
Swamiji said that it is also very important for the court to cancel the order issued by ASI in the year 2003, in which Hindus were deprived of the right to offer regular worship in Bhojshala. Along with this, the order allowing Muslims to offer Namaz has also been cancelled.
He said that now the Central Government and ASI should ensure the temple management and religious freedom of the devotees in accordance with the spirit of the court. He demanded that worship, havan and Vedic rituals of Mother Saraswati should be conducted without any hindrance throughout the year.
Bhojshala is the identity of India’s knowledge and culture.
Swami Jitendranand Saraswati said that Bhojshala is not just a religious place, but it is also a symbol of India’s ancient knowledge tradition, culture and civilization. He said that this historical heritage related to the period of Raja Bhoj has been related to the glorious tradition of education, Sanskrit and Indian philosophy. In such a situation, establishing the original identity of this site should be considered a big step towards historical justice.
The arguments of the Hindu side were also mentioned
Referring to the arguments put forward by the Hindu side during the hearing, Swamiji said that it was clearly told in the court that Bhojshala is a monument protected by ASI, hence the Places of Worship Act does not apply to it. The Hindu side had also said that Bhojshala is mentioned in the list of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act. On this basis the court gave importance to historical and archaeological evidence.
He said that the Hindu side had also demanded from the court to cancel the order issued by the ASI on April 7, 2003 and to decide the religious nature of the Bhojshala and hand it over completely to the Hindu community. Now the High Court’s decision has provided a strong basis to that demand.
What did Swamiji say about going to the Supreme Court?
Responding to the Muslim side’s talk of reviewing the decision and going to the Supreme Court, Swami Jitendranand Saraswati said that the Constitution of India gives everyone the right to adopt the judicial process. He expressed hope that in future also all parties will maintain peace, restraint and follow constitutional norms.
He said that it is everyone’s responsibility to maintain harmony in the society and any kind of tension or conflict is not in the interest of the country.
Qazi Waqar Sadiq’s statement also welcomed
Swami ji also welcomed Dhar city Qazi Waqar Sadiq’s call to respect the decision. Describing it as a positive sign, he said that India’s culture has been based on the tradition of dialogue, tolerance and justice. In such a situation, all communities should respect the court’s decisions and strengthen social harmony.
Also responded to the claim of Jain community
Swamiji also reacted when the Jain community called Bhojshala a Jain pilgrimage and the statue of Maa Vagdevi was called the statue of Maa Ambika. He said that the history of India’s ancient cultural heritage has been multidimensional. In such a situation, the final decision should be taken on the basis of historical facts and evidence while respecting the sentiments of all parties.
Security increased in Bhojshala premises
At present, security arrangements have been increased by barricading the main gate of the Bhojshala complex. A large number of police forces have been deployed and the administration is constantly monitoring the situation.