BHOPAL, 3 February 2006 — A raging battle for supremacy between Hindus and Muslims, which has all the trappings of another Ayodhya in the making, seems set to snowball in Dhar town of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
Palpable tension prevails in Dhar, a tribal-dominated district, wherein both Muslims and Hindus are adamant not to give leeway to the other and offer prayers today in an 11th century shrine “Bhojshala” on the occasion of Hindu festival Basant Panchami which has coincided with the Friday prayers of Muslims this year.
“Bhojshala” is a notified Central Waqf monument under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which maintains it. The monument houses Kamaal Maula Mosque where Muslims are permitted to offer Friday prayers by the ASI. While an unused water tank meant for ablution in the complex wherein Hindus are allowed to celebrate their festival.
The Dhar district administration in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Madhya Pradesh is in a fix as how to avoid a likely clash between Hindus and Muslims today. Madhya Pradesh Public Works Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is in-charge minister of the district, is camping in the town and trying to defuse the situation so that day passes off peacefully without snowballing into a major communal strife. The minister for the last few days had been holding a series of talks with the representatives of both the communities to arrive at an amicable solution.
However, the Hindu organizations have struck to their stand that since thousands of people would come to take part in the celebration, it would not be possible to allow time to the Muslims to offer prayers.
The Hindu organizations wanted the Muslims to show magnanimity and not offer prayers on that day, which was not acceptable to the Muslims. The Hindu Jagran Manch has sought permission to perform religious discourses for the whole day, while the administration has directed the Hindus to perform them only in the morning and then allow the Muslims to offer prayers in the afternoon. The Manch has rejected the proposal.
The Muslim community has demanded that the district administration make arrangements for smooth rendering of prayers today. As per the ASI timetable, Hindus can worship from dawn to 12.30 p.m. and then from 3.30 p.m. till sunset while Friday prayers can be offered from 1 p.m. to 3 pm.
