‘PM Modi also offers Chadar every year…’, Asaduddin Owaisi said on Ajmer Dargah controversy – ajmer sharif dargah survey case aimim chief asaduddin owaisi exclusive ntc
The claims of Hindu organizations regarding Ajmer Dargah have given rise to a new controversy. Hindus claim that there was a Shiva temple in Khwaja’s Dar in Ajmer. Ajmer Civil Court on Wednesday accepted the petition filed by Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta. The next hearing of the case has been fixed for December 20. There has been a flood of statements after the petition claiming that the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer is the Sankat Mochan Mahadev Temple.
Actually, the Civil Court has sent notice to the Minority Ministry, Dargah Committee and Archaeological Survey of India i.e. ASI. In this petition, citing the book Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive written in 1911 by retired judge Harbilas Sarda, it has been claimed that the debris of the temple was used in the construction of the Dargah. Besides, it is also being said that there is a Jain temple in the sanctum sanctorum and the premises. Now, after the claim of Hindu organizations, politics on this has intensified.
‘Many Prime Ministers have sent sheets’
Regarding this, AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi has raised questions and targeted BJP and blamed BJP for this. In a special conversation with Aaj Tak, Owaisi said that the Dargah of Khwaja Ajmeri has been there for 800 years. There was never such a claim on Dargah Sharif but today these people are claiming that there is no Dargah. Every year Narendra Modi offers and sends a chadar to Dargah Sharif. Many Prime Ministers have sent sheets. Our neighboring countries also send delegations here in the name of diplomacy.
He alleged that the aim is the same that in all the mosques and dargahs of Muslims, there are people sponsored by BJP-RSS and an atmosphere is being created by using them. These people are trying to create a law and order situation. Where is the evidence in the book which has been mentioned in the court? If I go tomorrow and file an application that there was a mosque below the Prime Minister’s house, will you order excavation? I will tell you tomorrow if there is something else under the Parliament, will I get the order for digging? Where do you want to take the country? Would anyone write wrong things like this?
‘Today a case has been filed against 15 dargahs and mosques’
Owaisi said that on the day the Supreme Court’s decision on Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir was announced, he had appeared on Aaj Tak’s show and said that this decision would open many cases. Today a case has been filed against 15 such dargahs and mosques. The Modi government is not even filing a reply to the case filed in the Supreme Court on the 1991 Worship Act. Efforts are being made to misuse this Act. Let us take the mosque of Sambhal for example. The petitioner there said that we want right of way, but the court ordered a survey.
He said that all this is not happening in the interest of the country. They are defaming the country. They are trying to reduce the trust in the court from the hearts of the people. This will weaken the country. Everyone will have to suffer its loss. We are demanding from the Narendra Modi government to stop these people because people listen to the PM.
This was said in the book regarding Ajmer Sharif Dargah
In the petition, reference was made to the book written by retired judge Harbilas Sarda in 1911 – Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive. In the book, it has been claimed that the debris of the temple was used in the construction of the Dargah. Also, it is said that there is a Jain temple in the sanctum sanctorum and complex.
Petitioner’s lawyer Ramswaroop Bishnoi cited the book of retired judge Harvilas Sharda, which states that the debris of a Hindu temple was used in the construction of the dargah. The book details a basement within the dargah, which is claimed to contain a Shiva Linga. The book also mentions the remains of a Jain temple in the structure of the Dargah and elements of the temple debris used in the construction of its 75 feet high Buland Darwaza.
This Shivalinga is said to have been traditionally worshiped by a Brahmin family, and the 75 feet tall lofty door structure of the Dargah indicates the presence of remains of a Jain temple. The petition has also requested the Archaeological Survey of India to survey the dargah so that worship can be resumed in the area where the Shiva Linga is said to be.
An interesting fact about Ajmer is that Prithviraj Chauhan also ruled here. Judge Harvilas told that the descendants of Ajmer great warrior Prithviraj Chauhan had built this temple.
What is the claim of the petitioner?
Advocate Yogesh Siroja of plaintiff Vishnu Gupta said that the case was heard in the court of civil cases judge Manmohan Chandel. Siroja said, ‘There is said to be a Shiva temple in the dargah. Earlier there used to be puja recitation… A case was filed in September 2024 to restart the puja recitation. The court has issued notices accepting the suit.
He said that in this regard, summons have been issued to Ajmer Dargah Committee, Minority Ministry, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Office-New Delhi. Plaintiff Vishnu Gupta said, “Our demand was that Ajmer Dargah should be declared Sankat Mochan Mahadev Temple and if there is any kind of registration of the Dargah, it should be cancelled. Its survey should be done through ASI and Hindus should be given the right to worship there.
Dargah operators expressed concern
In response to the court action, Syed Sarwar Chishti, secretary of the Anjuman committee that oversees the dargah’s caretakers, expressed concern about the implications of such disputes. He cited the Places of Worship Act of 1991.
This Place of Worship Act, enacted in 1991, says that the place of worship of any religion that came into existence before August 15, 1947 cannot be converted into a place of worship of any other religion. Chishti underlined the Dargah’s long history of over 800 years and disputed ASI’s jurisdiction over the Dargah, which is under the jurisdiction of the Minority Affairs Ministry.
