Supreme Court Allows Friday Prayers Near Bhojshala Complex for Muslims

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India granted permission for Muslims to conduct Friday prayers at a dargah located near the contentious Bhojshala complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. This decision came as part of a directive aimed at ensuring that Muslims can perform their prayers between the hours of 1 PM and 3 PM on Fridays. The bench, which included Chief Justice Surya Kant along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, emphasized that this ruling does not prevent the state government and the Muslim community from mutually agreeing on an alternative location for Friday prayers. This ruling follows a previous order issued on July 14, which mandated that a separate open space be allocated adjacent to the disputed site for Friday prayers until the ongoing legal case is resolved.

The Muslim community, represented by Haji Muneer Ahmad, had approached the Supreme Court, claiming that the local administration was not adhering to the court's earlier directives regarding the provision of an alternative prayer site. They pointed out that the location offered by the Dhar administration was situated 1.3 kilometers away from the disputed Bhojshala complex, which they argued was not close enough for the community to view the mosque while praying. During the court proceedings, senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi presented the case for the Muslim side, while Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj represented the state government. The Chief Justice clarified the earlier directive, stating that the Muslim community is now allowed to conduct prayers at a designated land identified as Khasra No. 596, which is recognized as dargah land and has its own access road, making it a suitable site for prayers.