By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Fearing communal flare-up, Muslim residents from Dhar town have petition Madhya Pradesh High Court to ensure they are not prevented from offering weekly Friday prayer at the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Masjid on February 12 as it coincides with Hindu Festival – Basant Panchami.
“Bhojshala” is a notified Central Waqf monument that is protected by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The monument houses Kamaal Maula Masjid where Muslims are permitted to offer Friday prayers by the ASI. While an unused water tank meant for ablution at the structure is allowed for Hindus to celebrate Basant Panchami festival.
This year Basant Panchami corresponds to Friday on February 12 and therefore ASI in its order dated January 20, 2016 has allowed Muslims to offer Friday prayer at the structure from 1-3 pm and Hindus to observe customary religious practices from sunrise to 12 noon and 3.30 pm to sunset.
However, Muslims in the region are apprehensive due to the announcement by right wing outfits that they would occupy the structure for whole day indicating Muslims will be prevented from observing Friday prayer.
In 2013, similar situation had arrived as the festival fell on Friday and the town had witnessed violence after Hindu activists refused to vacate the premises or to honour the arrangement of allowing Muslims to offer Friday prayer between 1 pm and 3 pm.
Seeing the rising tension and fear of Dhar Muslims’ right being usurped to offer Friday prayer Arif Masood, executive member, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, (AIMPLB) has moved MP High court to intervene and safeguard their rights alleging Hindu zealots want to occupy the mosque whole day.
“Following the initial hearing on this petition”, Masood said, “ MP High Court has ordered the state Government to inform High Court as to what steps have been taken by it to ensure peaceful conduct of Friday prayers on ensuing February 12 by Muslims at the 11th century Kamal Moula Masjid in Dhar town”.
Addressing a Press conference Arif Masood said that on the plea of AIMPB the High Court comprising of two member bench Justice PK Jaiswal and Justice J. K. Jain on Thursday further said what lessons it (state government) had learnt from the past mistakes made by it in the similar circumstances.
Masood in his petition has said that in 2013 when the similar conditions existed, the State Government had failed to comply with the court orders as the Hindu activists had refused to vacate the premises or to honour the arrangement of allowing Muslims to offer “Friday prayer” between 1 pm and 3 pm.
High Court has asked state government to file its reply on Monday when it shall again hear the matter.
During the conference Masood alleged that according to Hindu calendar Basant Panchami is scheduled to be celebrated across the country on February 13 but Some Hindutva organizations have announced to perform prayers of Basant Panchami on Friday February 12.
“This step of the rightwing organisations to pre-pone the festival wilfully to harass the Muslims has created tension in the State. The BJP-ruled State Government seems to be under pressure of these outfits and is making arrangements to conduct Basant Panchami prayers a day ahead that is on Friday only. Seeing the negligent past record of the Dhar district administration the Muslims are apprehensive and don’t trust the State Government”, he added.
Meanwhile, right-wing hardliners of Dhar opposed and boycotted a Sadbhavana Rally (peace march) organised by the administration on Thursday ahead of Basant Panchami. The hardliners called a half-day bandh to oppose the rally. Shops and other business establishments remained closed till afternoon.
Hindustan Times quoted Gopal Sharma, convenor of Dharm Jagran Vibhag, an outfit of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, as saying, “We have opposed the Sadbhavana Rally and a majority of Hindus have not taken any part in this rally. This sort of rally is always organised on the occasion of Hindu festival and not during Muslim festivals. The aim of these rallies is to create fear in Hindu community. We have no acrimony against anyone or any community then why has the administration organised this rally”.