Take Firm Action Against Hate-Mongers: Head Priest of Ajmer Dargah Urges PM Modi
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Jaipur, Nov 28 (NationPress) Just a day after a lower court accepted a petition claiming that the Hanuman temple is situated within the Dargah grounds, Haji Syed Salman Chishty, the head priest of Ajmer Sharif Dargah, on Thursday urged the Supreme Court and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take strong measures against hate-mongers and maintain justice and unity.
"Ajmer Sharif is Ajmer Sharif… It is not merely a fragment of history but a profound representation of Living History! The sanctity and sacredness of Ajmer Sharif must be preserved. Utilizing the courts and religious sentiments for divisive purposes tarnishes revered Sufi shrines, undermines constitutional values, and jeopardizes India’s harmony," Chishty expressed on X.
He further stated, "We call upon the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the Prime Minister to take decisive action against hate-mongers and uphold justice and unity. Let us honor Khwaja Gharib Nawaz’s everlasting legacy of unconditional love, peace, and compassion."
On Wednesday, a lower court in Ajmer accepted a petition lodged by Vishnu Gupta, the National President of Hindu Sena, asserting that the Sankat Mochan Mahadev temple is located within the Ajmer Sharif Dargah.
The court, presided over by Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel, has recognized the case and issued notices to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Dargah Committee Ajmer, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), requesting their responses.
The next hearing is set for December 20. The petition references retired judge Harvilas Sharda's 1911 book, Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive, which claims that debris from a Shiva temple was utilized in constructing the dargah. The petition also alleges that a Jain temple is present within the sanctum sanctorum of the site.
Gupta mentioned that Hindu traditions are evident around the Ajmer Dargah, including carvings on the Buland Darwaza. He urged the ASI to investigate the area for evidence such as water sources typically found near Shiva temples. Advocate Ramswaroop Bishnoi clarified that the 38-page petition provides evidence supporting claims of a Shiva temple at the site, citing architectural similarities and references from historical texts. The plea also includes examples from other disputed sites, like Bhojshala in Madhya Pradesh and Benaras.
The petition requests the ASI to perform a survey of the dargah premises. It refers to the book’s assertion that parts of the 75-foot-high Buland Darwaza were constructed using materials from the temple. According to the text, a Brahmin family once worshipped at the site, where a Shivling was situated. Meanwhile, the Dargah Committee has refuted the claims.
Syed Sarwar Chishti, secretary of Anjuman Syed Jadgan, an organization of khadims of the Dargah in Ajmer, stated that the Ajmer Dargah promotes unity in diversity and pluralism, with lakhs of followers worldwide from Afghanistan to Indonesia.
“Such acts undermine communal harmony and the nation. The court has today issued notices to three parties. We will assess our options. Targeting long-standing mosques in Kashi and Mathura is harmful,” he remarked. He also criticized former CJI Chandrachoor for altering the rules. “We have faced difficult times; however, nothing has changed. This is the Garib Nawaz Dargah, and it will remain unchanged in the future as well,” he added.
