BHOPAL: Ten days after the Madhya Pradesh High Court held that the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque was a Saraswati Temple, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday offered prayers to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) at the ASI protected Bhojshala in Dhar town and announced the construction of a Maa Saraswati Lok temple corridor and a Raja Bhoj Research Institute.
The Chief Minister, who also performed Arti at Bhojshala on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra, made a series of announcements for the development of Dhar district.
“I’ve taken a vow after offering prayers to Maa Vagdevi inside the Bhojshala premises. Comprehensive development will be carried out in the entire Dhar district. The High Court’s May 15 order has made a 750 year old long struggle successful. A new era has begun in Dhar."
"Dhar has now emerged as the leading district in the state in the industrial category. With the blessings of Maa Vagdevi, the state government has resolved to continue moving forward on the path of development. A grand Mata Saraswati Lok will be built here. A Raja Bhoj Research Institute will also be established in Dhar,” the CM announced.
Addressing the state level programme of the Jal Ganga Conservation Campaign in Dhar, the CM also announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of three men, Late Bansingh, Late Antarsingh and Late Lakshman Singh, who lost their lives during the movement by the Hindu community for Bhojshala.
“Bhojshala, built by Raja Bhoj, remained the most prominent centre of knowledge, science, research and Sanskrit language for centuries. It is an inseparable symbol of our ancient Indian knowledge tradition. Students and scholars from far off places used to come here to gain knowledge and discuss scriptures."
"The state government will make every necessary effort to revive the same glorious past of Bhojshala. A new stream of all round development will now flow in this sacred land of Raja Bhoj. In coordination with the Archaeological Department, all types of development works will be carried out around Dhar,” he said.
Describing Parmar King Raja Bhoj as a pioneer of water conservation, the Chief Minister said the huge reservoirs, ponds and water management systems built during Raja Bhoj’s era still stood as proof of his remarkable foresight and water planning.
“Dhar was once called the city of ponds. Raja Bhoj had built twelve and a half ponds in this city for water supply and connected them in such a way that when one pond filled up, its excess water automatically flowed into another pond,” he said.
“A Jal Ganga Conservation Campaign is being run in the state. This campaign will bring a new revolution in water conservation in the state. After Khandwa, Barwani, Ashoknagar, Rajgarh and Dindori, Dhar district ranks sixth in the effective implementation of the campaign."
"More than 5,000 water conservation works have been completed in the rural areas of the district, and similarly, conservation and restoration work of 64 ancient stepwells and ponds is being carried out in the Dhar municipal area.”
On the occasion, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for 12 development projects worth Rs 88.04 crore. The projects include the construction of a four lane high level bridge across the Chambal river on the Lebad Ghatabillod route at a cost of Rs 27.21 crore.
The Chief Minister was joined by local MP and Union Minister of State Savitri Thakur, senior Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is also the Dhar district in charge minister, and local BJP MLAs Nina Vikram Verma and Kalu Singh Thakur.
