13, Feb 2016

Some Muslims ‘smuggled in’ for brief namaz at noon, Hindus let in after 1 pm
Written by Milind Ghatwai | Dhar | Updated: February 13, 2016 1:23 am
It took nearly 200 policemen in white kurta-pyjama, approximately 25 Muslim men who no one except the administration saw offering the Friday namaz, and a breach of the Archeological Survey of India’s rules for Basant Panchami to pass off peacefully in this communally sensitive town that is home to the disputed Bhojshala temple and Kamal Maula’s mosque.
The ASI had ordered that only Muslims could offer namaz between 1 and 3 pm, and Hindus perform puja from morning till noon and then after 3 pm.
By late Friday afternoon, though, all parties — members of both religions and the administration — claimed victory. By then, a token namaz had been offered for about 10 minutes, reportedly on the rooftop with Muslims taken there in secrecy, and Hindus allowed entry from 1.10 pm in violation of the ASI rule.
The mood changed slightly by evening: there were several angry voices among Hindus, who felt cheated by the turn of events. The kurta pyjama-clad policemen could be easily recognised as they all sported short cropped hair and many of them had not taken off their shoes while entering the temple, which came in for sharp criticism.