A court in Ajmer on Wednesday refused to entertain a civil suit that sought to declare the mausoleum of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti as a Shiv temple. The court cited lack of jurisdiction as the reason for its decision, adjourning the case for further hearing on October 10, reported PTI.
The suit, filed by Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta through his counsel, claimed that the dargah was constructed on the ruins of a Hindu temple and called for its designation as Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Temple. In addition to this, the petitioner requested that the current legal framework under which the shrine operates be declared void, the right of worship be granted to Hindus, and that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conduct a scientific survey of the site.
Gupta’s counsel, Shashi Ranjan, argued that a two-year research had been conducted, allegedly revealing that “Muslim invaders” destroyed a Shiv temple to build the dargah. Following the court’s decision, Ranjan stated that he plans to file an application in the district court to transfer the case before the next hearing.
Syed Sarwar Chishti, Secretary of Anjuman Syed Zadgan, which represents the Khadims (caretakers) of the Ajmer Dargah, condemned the suit, calling it a deliberate effort to create communal division. Chishti emphasized the historical and spiritual significance of the shrine, which is revered by both Muslims and Hindus across the subcontinent.
Speaking at a press conference in Ajmer, Chishti said, “The holy shrine of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz has been a symbol of peace, love, and harmony for centuries. This petition is part of a larger agenda to polarize society and disrupt communal harmony.”
Muzzafar Bharti, president of the United Muslim Forum Rajasthan (UMFR), also criticized the petition, deeming it a violation of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which prohibits the alteration of religious sites as they stood at the time of India’s independence. Bharti urged the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs to take decisive action against the petitioner, accusing him of inciting communal tensions and “hurting the sentiments of crores of Indians.”
(With inputs from PTI)