Intro: Yadav said Dhar will be transformed into a major tourism hotspot of the state, which will also help generate employment for locals.
Dhar
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday visited the historic Bhojshala complex in Dhar district and offered special prayers to Goddess Vagdevi on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra.
Yadav performed prayers amid heightened security arrangements and the presence of a large number of Bharatiya Janata Party workers, local residents, and devotees. Senior police and administrative officials were deployed around the premises to maintain law and order during the visit.
Speaking after the prayers, the Chief Minister said the state government would work towards transforming Dhar into a major tourism and cultural hub. He stated that the recent court decision had opened new opportunities for the development of the historic town and surrounding region.
Yadav said several initiatives would be undertaken to improve tourism infrastructure, expand educational opportunities, and generate employment for local residents. According to him, the government intends to present Dhar in a renewed form by promoting its cultural, historical, and spiritual significance.
The Chief Minister also connected the proposed development plans with the state government’s ongoing Jal Ganga Conservation Campaign, which focuses on water conservation and environmental sustainability across Madhya Pradesh. He said the state was playing a leading role in water conservation efforts through large-scale public participation and district-level initiatives.
The Bhojshala complex has remained the subject of a long-standing and sensitive dispute between Hindu and Muslim communities. Hindus consider the site an ancient temple and educational centre dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, established during the reign of Raja Bhoj of the Parmar dynasty in the eleventh century. Historically, the site was known for Sanskrit learning and cultural activities.
Muslims, on the other hand, have referred to a section of the complex as the Kamal Maula Mosque and had traditionally offered Friday prayers there for many decades under an earlier administrative arrangement.
The dispute over the site has frequently attracted legal, political, and social attention in Madhya Pradesh. In its May 15 ruling, the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court observed that historical records and evidence indicated that the complex was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati.
The judgment has generated widespread political and public discussion across the state. Supporters of the ruling view it as recognition of the site’s historical and cultural identity, while authorities continue to maintain heightened vigilance to ensure peace and communal harmony in the region.