Madhya Pradesh: ASI conducts survey at Bhojshala complex for second day

Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 23 : The survey at the Bhojshala complex in the Dhar district here continued for the second day on Saturday. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is conducting the survey as per the directions of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The ASI survey started from 8 am in the morning and continued till 5:30 pm in the evening. It was conducted in a scientific way, using all modern archaeological techniques.
"They are doing the survey efficiently throughout the day using carbon dating, GPS technology, GPR technology. They conducted the survey inside as well as outside throughout the 50-meter stretch, as instructed by the court," Ashish Goyal, a worker from the Hindu Front for Justice who was one of the petitioners in the case said speaking to reporters on Saturday.
Stressing the Hindu side's claim on the Bhojshala complex, Goyal said, "This is Ma Saraswati's mandir at Bhojshala. The survey is being conducted so that those who do not understand this, are convinced after this survey."
Expressing hope of a positive outcome from the ASI survey, Goyal said, "The ASI is conducting the survey scientifically. We are hopeful that we will get a positive outcome. The ASI is working as per the directions of the court."
Earlier in the day, Abdul Samad, the petitioner for the Muslim side, said he disagreed with the exercise as directed by the high court.
"This survey was not necessary as a similar exercise had been conducted previously and the report is in the public domain. We are against this new survey, as several new things have started here since the last survey. There have been some changes to the monument as well. We have already voiced our misgivings over these changes," the petitioner told ANI.
"Seeing such changes and new activities in the complex, we moved the high court urging that if they allow such movement (of people from the Hindu community) inside the monument, they should lay down proper guidelines on things that could be carried inside," he added.
Samad said they have already moved the Supreme Court, challenging the high court's direction of a new survey and the submission of the report by the next date of hearing--April 1.
Recently, the Madhya Pradesh High Court allowed the survey by the ASI at the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex situated in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
The court, in its order shared by advocate Vishnu Jain, stated, "It is contended on behalf of the petitioners while pressing the interlocutory application that survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is a statutory duty, which the ASI ought to have performed long back."
"Any other study, investigation, or inquiry, which the said five (5) member committee of the ASI feel it is necessary to be undertaken without "destroying, defacing, or destructing the original nature of the whole complex be undertaken, towards ascertaining the true nature and character of the Bhojshala Temple cum Kamal Maula Mosque for arriving at the truth," it added.
The order said that the right to worship and perform rituals in the disputed premises shall be considered only after receipt of the aforementioned report from the Expert Committee.