The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday rejected the Centre's modifications to the recommendations regarding the Bhojshala at Dhar.
Chief Minister Digvijay Singh said in Bhopal that his government had on February 20 sent to the Centre its recommendations based on decisions arrived at an all-party meeting.
As per these recommendations, Bhojshala was to be kept open for two hours every Friday to enable Muslims to offer prayers while for Hindus it would be open on Basant Panchami every year and for two hours on each Tuesday.
He said that the Union Culture and Tourism Minister, Jagmohan, had in a letter on February 26 accepted them with two minor modifications: First, Bhojshala should be kept open for Hindus on each Tuesday from dawn to dusk. Secondly, on other days tourists should be allowed to visit the shrine at an entry fee of Rs 1.
However, Muslims submitted a memorandum to the district administration saying they did not agree to the recommendation that the shrine be kept open for Hindus for the whole day on Tuesdays, Singh said. The state government would now send to the Centre the recommendations based on a consensus arrived at in April 1995, he added.
Asked what the state government would do if its recommendations were turned down, the chief minister said, "We shall follow the Centre's orders."
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