Bhojshala Dispute : Will Allot A Nearer Spot For Friday Namaz, MP Govt Tells Supreme Court

In the Bhojshala dispute, Muslim parties have filed an application in the Supreme Court objecting to the Madhya Pradesh administration's choice of the plot allotted for Friday namaz.

They contended that though the Supreme Court had directed that a plot which is adjacent to the Bhojshala complex must be given for Friday namaz, the site given by the administration is located 2 kilometres away from it.

Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi mentioned the application before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant this morning for urgent listing tomorrow. 

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, for the State, disputed the statement that the site was located 2 kilometres away, and said that it was located 900 meters away. Nevertheless, the SG said that he will persuade the administration to identify a nearer spot.

"I have asked them to identify a nearby site, and the process is going on," SG said.  

Justice Bagchi said that earlier, the Court had given a direction and an adjacent site was used for namaz.

"I had a discussion with the authorities, and they are identifying...we are resolving the issue," SG said that he might require more time. When Ahmadi said that already two Friday prayers were missed, the SG assured that the order will be implemented in both letter and spirit.

The Chief Justice then said, "We can list on Friday. Meanwhile, you find an alternate place adjacent to the site."  

The application has been moved in the petitions filed by Muslim parties challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court's order declaring the historical Bhojshala a temple, and restraining the use of the property for Islamic prayers. Last week, the Supreme Court had refused to stay the High Court's order. But the Court directed the administration to allot an adjacent spot for Friday namaz, after the petitioners submitted that the place has special significance for Muslims as their worship had been going on there for centuries.