New Delhi

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has sharply criticised the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s ruling on the Bhojshala complex in Dhar district, drawing parallels between the verdict and the Babri Masjid demolition dispute.

Posting on X, the Hyderabad MP expressed hope that the Supreme Court would overturn the order.

“We hope the Supreme Court will set this right and overturn this order. Glaring similarities with the Babri Masjid judgment,” Owaisi wrote.

Addressing a press conference later, Owaisi argued that the High Court had failed to adequately consider the Places of Worship Act, which mandates maintaining the religious character of places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947.

“We consider this judgment erroneous because the Court ignored the 1935 Dhar State Gazette, 1985 Waqf registration, and also ignored the Place of Worship Act,” he said.

The AIMIM leader also maintained that the court overlooked the continuing civil dispute concerning ownership of the site.

“The Court also ignored the ongoing civil dispute case of the title,” he added.

The remarks came after the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled in favour of the Hindu side, recognising the Bhojshala complex as belonging to Raja Bhoj and granting Hindus the right to worship at the site.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for the Hindu petitioners, described the ruling as “historic” and said the court had partially set aside an Archaeological Survey of India order issued on April 7, 2003.

“The Indore High Court has delivered a historic verdict, partially setting aside the ASI’s order dated April 7, 2003. Furthermore, the Court has granted the Hindu side the right to worship and has recognised the Bhojshala complex as belonging to Raja Bhoj,” Jain said.

He further stated that the court had directed the government to consider the Hindu side’s demand for the return of an idol currently housed in a museum in London.

“Regarding our demand for the repatriation of the idol currently housed in a London museum, the Court has directed the government to consider this request. The Muslim side is also free to present its views before the government,” he said.

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Jain added that the court had asked the government to consider allotting alternate land to the Muslim side. He also said the court had directed the government to oversee management of the site and had completely set aside the ASI’s earlier order permitting namaz at the complex.