Ajmer Court Accepts Petition Alleging Dargah Built Over Hindu Temple Amid Sambhal Violence Aftermath

A civil suit filed in Rajasthan’s Ajmer has reignited debates over the historical and religious origins of the Ajmer Dargah, the tomb of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The petition, filed by Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta, claims the dargah was built over a Shiva temple and seeks the restoration of Hindu worship rights at the site. Notices have been issued to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Ajmer Dargah Committee, with the next hearing scheduled for December 20.

Petitioner's Claims and Demands

• The petitioner, Vishnu Gupta, has called for the Ajmer Dargah to be declared as the Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Temple.
• The petition seeks:
  • A survey by the ASI to ascertain the structure’s historical origins.
  • Cancellation of the dargah’s registration if it exists.
  • Hindu worship rights at the site.
• The petition cites a 1911 book titled Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive by Harvilas Sharda, which claims that debris from a Shiva temple was used to construct the dargah.
• Allegations include the existence of a Jain temple within the sanctum sanctorum and visible Hindu carvings on structures like the Buland Darwaza.

Response from the Dargah Committee

• The Ajmer Dargah Committee has denied the allegations, asserting the dargah’s role in promoting unity in diversity.
• Syed Sarwar Chishti, secretary of Anjuman Syed Jadgan, condemned the petition, stating:
  “Such acts are against communal harmony and the nation. The dargah has lakhs of followers from across the world. Targeting age-old religious sites like this is not good for unity.”

Context and Broader Implications

• The claims come in the wake of similar disputes at Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Mosque, Mathura’s Shahi Idgah, and the Bhojshala temple-mosque complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.
• The Sambhal Violence: A recent clash in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, led to the deaths of six individuals following a local court order to survey a mosque allegedly built over a temple.

Next Steps

• The Civil Judge (Junior Division) Man Mohan Chandel issued notices to the ASI, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Ajmer Dargah Committee.
• The next hearing is scheduled for December 20, where responses from the parties will be examined.

Sources: NDTV & Bar and Bench.