• Source:JND

Bhojshala Controversy: Day after police confirmed that both communities offered peaceful prayers at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque, ‘dummy Namaz’ allegations have raised a shadow on what the administration called a hard-won moment of communal calm in Dhar.

After the Supreme Court permitted both communities to offer prayer at different locations in the disputed complex, Friday Namaz and Puja were held inside the compound; however, serious claims have been made about whether Friday prayer was genuinely offered at the site or it was merely staged.

Controversy After Local Alleged ‘Dummy Namaz’ At Bhojshala

The new controversy erupted after Imran Khan, a resident of Gulmohar Colony in Dhar, released a video and alleged tha district administration planned a ‘dummy Namaz’ at the site to show compliance with the SC order, but did not allow local muslims.

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Khan claimed that police escorted him and other local muslims under police security on Thursday night, promising secure entry into the ASI-protected complex for Friday namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm. "We were kept under watch, but when the prayer window was about to close, we were told to return home. The administration is now saying namaz happened inside that was not us," he added.

Residents of the colony alleged that Deputy Collector Roshni Patidar and DSP Anand Tiwari detained them and their companions at the Kamal Maula Mosque for nearly 16 hours, but did not allow them to enter the disputed complex to offer prayers. As per them, later a video was shot showing a few individuals offering namaz in the rear portion of the mosque, which was used to show the compliance of SC’s order.

Another video, which has surfaced on social media, showing some individuals in yellow jackets preparing for Friday prayer, has added to the controversy as it raises the question whether these people were locals or volunteers brought in for the occasion.

What Is Administration’s Stand

On the other hand, the administration maintained that peaceful prayers were conducted at the Bhojshala complex, where Muslim individuals offered Namaz peacefully between 1 and 3 pm.

When asked about the claims made by the locals, Dhar Collector Priyank Mishra declined to engage with what he termed ‘allegations’.

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"I do not want to comment on such claims. With the consent of the community, 15-17 Muslim men offered symbolic namaz at the exclusive location inside the complex between 1 pm and 3 pm, in compliance with the Supreme Court's order," Mishra said.

Under the unprecedented security arrangements, thousands of Hindu devotees marched in large processions and offered uninterrupted prayers from sunrise to sunset at the disputed complex.

All this is seen as rare communal calm, as the town has witnessed clashes during similar overlaps in 2013 and 2016.


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