Ajmer, Rajasthan: Vishnu Gupta, President of the National Hindu Army, who filed a lawsuit claiming the existence of a Lord Shiva temple within the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Ajmer, announced on Wednesday that the court has accepted the case. The next hearing is scheduled for December 20.
"Today, the court admitted our case and issued notices to the Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Survey Department. The next date of hearing is 20th December," said Vishnu Gupta.
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Earlier on Wednesday, a local court in Ajmer instructed that notices be served to three parties involved in the civil lawsuit. The case asserts that there is a Shiva temple within the dargah of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti. Advocate Yogesh Siroja, representing the plaintiff, confirmed that the case was heard by Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel.
"The concerned parties have been issued notices, one is the Dargah Committee, the ASI, and the third is the Ministry of Minority Affairs. I am a descendant of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, but I have not been made party to it... We are in touch with our legal team," he said.
Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, voiced his concern over the increasing number of incidents where various groups are staking claims to mosques and dargahs. "These incidents are on the rise in the country. Every second day we see groups claiming mosques and dargahs. This is not in the interest of our society and country. Today India is becoming a global power..Till when will we remain stuck in the temple and mosque controversy?" he said.
Chishty called for the central government's intervention, suggesting that a law and clear guidelines be established to prevent such claims on religious sites. "Ajmer has a history of 850 years... I appeal to the government of India to intervene in this. A new law should be made and guidelines should be issued so that no one claims religious organisations such as these... In 2022, (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat had said that how long will we keep finding Shivalayas in mosques, and I agree with him," he said.
Survey violence in Sambhal raises tensions
The lawsuit comes amid heightened tensions regarding religious surveys in India. Earlier this month, a survey team sent to inspect the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, encountered stone-pelting from "anti-social elements" while being guarded by heavy police forces. This survey was part of a legal case filed by senior advocate Vishnu Shanker Jain, who argued that the mosque was originally a Hindu temple.
On November 24, the survey escalated into violence, resulting in four deaths and several injuries, including to officials and local people. A similar survey had been carried out on November 19, under the supervision of the local police and the mosque’s management committee to ensure safety during the process.
Agency
Published: 28 Nov 2024, 10:28 am IST
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