Bhojshala issue: Hindu body wants to hold day-long puja on

A right-wing organisation today demanded permission for performing 'puja' "from dawn to dusk" at Bhojshala monument in Dhar district on February 12, days after the ASI issued an order mentioning the schedule for Hindus and Muslims for paying their obeisance.
The ASI order has allowed Muslims to offer prayers at the structure between 1-3 PM and Hindus to perform puja from sunrise to 12 noon and from 3.30 PM to sunset on Basant Panchmi which is falling on a Friday.
"We demand that we should be granted the permission to offer 'puja' from dawn to dusk continuously on 'Basant Panchami'. Maintaining law and order in Dhar is a responsibility of state government. It was not binding on government to follow the order of ASI," 'Bhoj Ustav Samiti' convener Vijay Singh Rathore told PTI.

Basant Panchmi is the Hindu festival that highlights the coming of spring.
ASI is responsible only for the protection of the monument and is not empowered to pass a "diktat" on the worship schedule, he said.
"If government wants a permanent solution to the issue, it should, with determination, take a proper step before time regarding the 'puja' on February 12," Rathore said.

Tension has been brewing in the district since last one month in run-up to the festival as members of both the communities could not arrive at a mutually agreeable solution over paying obeisance as per their respective faith at the protected archaeological structure.

Hindus consider Bhojshala as the temple of Goddess Waghdevi (Saraswati), whereas Muslims treat it as Kamal Moula mosque.
According to the ASI order, "In the ancient protected monument Bhojshala/Kamal Moula Mosque, both puja and namaz will take place on February 12, Basant Panchmi festival. The order is effective for that day only."
In the past too, tension had prevailed in Dhar city whenever 'Basant Panchmi' festival fell on a Friday and once it forced the administration to impose a curfew to conduct namaz at the designated time.
As per the order, issued by ASI Director General Rakesh Tiwari on January 20, "Hindus will perform puja from sunrise to 12 noon and from 3.30 PM to sunset on the day of the festival, while Muslims will offer namaz between 1-3 PM".

Entry in the Bhojshala premises will be free for both communities on 'Basant Panchmi'.
In the normal course, Hindus are allowed to perform puja on Tuesdays and Muslims offer namaz on Fridays. The structure is open to all on rest of days.