“A Rajasthan court has issued notices regarding a petition alleging the presence of a Lord Shiva temple within the Ajmer Sharif Dargah premises, scheduling the next hearing for December 20.”
“Congress MP Imran Masood on Thursday criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party over a legal claim alleging the existence of a Shiva temple within the Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan. He warned that such actions could ‘set the whole country on fire’ and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene, questioning the intent behind fostering such disputes.”
“‘Will the BJP set the whole nation on fire for their political gains?’ Imran Masood was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.”
Masood remarked, “These actions will set the entire country on fire. What is happening? The Prime Minister should intervene, and the Supreme Court must take note of this issue. Are you trying to marginalize an entire community? You are targeting their religious places and properties. How far do you intend to push us?
Under how many mosques will you search for temples? Is there any limit to this? The central government has disregarded the Worship Act of 1991. Will the BJP set the nation ablaze for their political gains?”
What is the Dispute?
The controversy stems from a case filed by Vishnu Gupta, president of the National Hindu Army, claiming the existence of a Lord Shiva temple within the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Ajmer. On Wednesday, Gupta announced that the court had accepted the case and scheduled the next hearing for December 20.
“The court has admitted our case and issued notices to the Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Survey of India. The next hearing is set for December 20,” Gupta told ANI.
Meanwhile, Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, condemned the increasing trend of various groups laying claim to mosques and dargahs.
“These incidents are becoming more frequent in the country. Every other day, we see groups making claims on mosques and dargahs. This is not in the best interest of our society or our nation. India is emerging as a global power… How long will we remain entangled in the temple and mosque controversy?” Chishty remarked.
Chishty called for the central government’s intervention, urging it to create laws and issue guidelines to prevent claims on religious sites. “Ajmer has a history spanning 850 years. I urge the Government of India to intervene. A new law should be established, and clear guidelines should be issued to prevent anyone from staking a claim on religious institutions like this. In 2022, Mohan Bhagwat, the RSS chief, asked how long we will keep finding Shivalayas in mosques, and I agree with him,” Chishty said.
On Wednesday, a Rajasthan court issued notices in response to a lawsuit filed by Hindu groups claiming the presence of a Hindu temple beneath the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Ajmer, and seeking the right to worship at the site.
The case, titled “Bhagwan Shri Sankat Mochak Mahadev Virajman vs. Dargah Committee,” was heard by Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel and filed by Vishnu Gupta, president of the Hindu Sena, in September. The court issued notices to the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Ajmer Dargah Committee, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), who were named as parties in the lawsuit.
The petitioner’s lawyer, Ramswaroop Bishnoi, referenced a 1911 book, Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive, written by retired judge Harvilas Sharda. The book claims that debris from a Hindu temple was used in constructing the dargah, and that a sanctum or basement containing a Shiva Lingam, once worshipped by a Brahmin family, is located within the shrine. The book also suggests that remnants of a Jain temple were incorporated into the dargah’s structure, including features visible in its 75-foot tall buland darwaza.
Earlier this month, a survey team inspecting the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, under heavy police security, came under attack when some individuals threw stones at them.
The survey was ordered as part of a legal process following a petition by senior advocate Vishnu Shanker Jain, who claimed that the mosque was originally a temple.
