A court in India’s Madhya Pradesh has declared the historic Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district as a Hindu temple, even though Muslims have used the site as a mosque for centuries. The decision has raised concerns about the rise of Hindutva ideology and threats to Muslim religious heritage in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex was originally a Hindu Saraswati temple. The ruling ends a 2003 arrangement under which Muslims offered Friday prayers at the site, while Hindus worshipped there on Tuesdays.
The judgment has also increased concerns about the weakening of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which was made to stop new religious disputes after the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
The bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi also said that Muslims could request alternative land from the government to build a mosque elsewhere in Dhar district. This suggestion has drawn comparisons with the Indian Supreme Court’s controversial 2019 Babri Masjid verdict.
Also Read, Pakistan Expresses ‘Deep Concern’ Over Flag Hoisting at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple
Earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Office had expressed “deep concern” over the flag hoisting at the so-called “Ram Temple” built on the site of the historic Babri Mosque in Ayodhya.
In an official statement, the Foreign Office said Pakistan had “noted with deep concern the flag hoisting at the so-called ‘Ram Temple’ constructed on the site of the historic Babri Mosque in Ayodhya.”
It recalled that the Babri Mosque, “a centuries-old place of worship, was demolished on 6 December 1992 by the extremist mobs inspired by fascist ideologies.”
