The Hindu : Bhojshala: Centre agrees to Hindu prayers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 28, 2003

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Bhojshala: Centre agrees to Hindu prayers

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI FEB. 27. Charting a course that does not deviate too much from the Madhya Pradesh Government's recommendation while keeping in mind the BJP demand, the Union Culture Ministry has decided to allow Hindus to offer prayers at the Bhojshala in Dhar from dawn to dusk on Tuesdays.

A suggestion to this effect was sent to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Digvijay Sangh, by the Union Culture Minister, Jagmohan, on Wednesday in response to a formal request received over the weekend, suggesting that Hindus be allowed to offer prayers on the premises for two hours every Tuesday.

However, with the BJP and the Hindu Jagran Manch insisting that Hindus be allowed to offer prayers on all days, the Culture Ministry decided to give in to this demand partially by expanding the scope of the State Government's suggestion. The president of the BJP's Madhya Pradesh unit, Uma Bharti, met Mr. Jagmohan in this connection on Wednesday.

Should the Culture Ministry's proposal get the approval of the State Government, Hindus would now be allowed to offer prayers from sunrise to sunset on Tuesdays while the monument would be open for sight-seeing on all days as per the rules of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

And, Muslims would be allowed to continue with the practice of offering namaz on Fridays.

Disclosing this here today, Mr. Jagmohan said Hindus would also be allowed to make small offerings to the presiding deity, Wagdevi.

As of now, Hindus are allowed to offer prayers on the premises on Basant Panchami, and Muslims, namaz in a mosque alongside, every Friday.

Muslims boycott meet

UNI reports:

Muslim representatives boycotted this evening's all-party meeting convened here to elicit opinions on the Centre's proposal to allow more time to Hindus to worship at the disputed monument on Tuesdays. As a result of the boycott, the gathering could not arrive at a consensus.

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