Dhar, Jan 23 (IANS) Saraswati Puja began on Friday at the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, under heavy security.

A large number of Hindu devotees of Baghichi Devi (Goddess Saraswati) were reaching the site since early morning to offer prayers. Heavy security has been deployed to avoid communal violence at the disputed site.

The Muslim community members will also arrive at the site to offer their Namaz between 1 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who was in Davos, shared his greetings of the Basant Panchami through a social media post and wished for the well-being of the people of Madhya Pradesh.

“Heartfelt greetings of Basant Panchami to the people of the state and the entire country. May the grace of Maa Saraswati, the presiding deity of letters, music, and knowledge, fill everyone’s life with wisdom, creativity, happiness, and prosperity. This is my heartfelt prayer,” CM Yadav wrote on X.

The Supreme Court, while hearing the matter on Thursday, allowed Hindu prayers from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami (on Friday) and permitted Muslims to offer namaz from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the disputed site.

Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Masque Complex is a disputed site as both Hindus and Muslims claim their religious faith is associated with the site.

The dispute is that Hindus consider Bhojshala, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected 11th-century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community call it Kamal Maula Mosque.

Complying with the direction of the SC, Dhar district administration has strengthened security, deploying over 8,000 police personnel and Rapid Action Forces (RAF) in the vicinity of the disputed site.

Dhar Collector Priyank Mishra on Thursday stated that the district administration and police have prepared for the occasion, and the primary objective will be to maintain law and order.

He had also issued a stern warning that any content inciting religious hatred, whether through newspapers, electronic media, social media platforms like WhatsApp or Facebook, will invite strict action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita and the IT Act.

Under an arrangement made by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays, and Muslims offer ‘namaz’ in the complex on Fridays.

–IANS

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