Summary:
- A petition by the Hindu Sena claims Ajmer Sharif Dargah is built over a Shiva temple, prompting a court investigation.
- Notices have been issued to the Ajmer Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Survey of India for their responses.
- The petitioners demand the site be declared a Hindu temple and request an archaeological survey to verify their claims.
- The Ajmer Dargah Committee refutes these claims, emphasizing the site’s historical significance and communal harmony.
In a significant legal development, a court in Ajmer, Rajasthan, has agreed to hear a petition filed by the Hindu Sena, claiming that the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, a revered Sufi shrine, was originally a Shiva temple. This petition has sparked considerable attention and controversy, reflecting ongoing tensions over religious sites in India.
The petition was filed by Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta in September and is being heard by Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel. The court has issued notices to the Ajmer Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), demanding their responses to the claims. The next hearing is scheduled for December 20.
The petitioners argue that historical evidence supports their claim that the dargah was built over a pre-existing Shiva temple. They cite a 1911 book by Har Bilas Sarda, which allegedly references remnants of a Shiva temple at the site. The Hindu Sena has requested an ASI survey to investigate these claims and seeks to have the site declared as the “Sankat Mochan Mahadev Temple.” They also demand that Hindus be allowed to resume worship at the site.
This case has drawn parallels with other high-profile disputes over religious sites in India, such as those involving the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Idgah in Mathura. The Places of Worship Act of 1991, which maintains that the religious character of any place as it stood on August 15, 1947, cannot be altered, is central to these disputes. Critics argue that such claims threaten communal harmony and question their historical basis.
The Ajmer Dargah Committee has dismissed these claims as baseless and harmful to communal harmony. Syed Sarwar Chishty, a custodian of the dargah, stated that such assertions are aimed at creating discord and are deeply offensive to devotees worldwide. The case continues to evoke strong reactions from various quarters, including political leaders who have called for Supreme Court intervention to uphold the 1991 Act and prevent further unrest.
