Ajmer: A legal battle unfolded on Tuesday as a suit was filed in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate by Vishnu Gupta, national president of Hindu Sena. The suit alleges the existence of a Sankatmochan Mahadev temple within the premises of the renowned Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah. The court heard the case on Wednesday.
Delhi advocate Shashi Ranjan Kumar Singh, representing Gupta, submitted a 750-page suit, asserting that evidence supports the claim of a Shiva temple’s presence in the Dargah. The petition requests the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey of the site, citing similar instances from locations such as Bhojshala in Madhya Pradesh and Varanasi. The Dargah Committee, the Minority Ministry, and the Archaeological Department have been named as respondents in the case.
However, the CJM Court rejected the petition, stating that it was outside its jurisdiction and advised Gupta to present the case in the District Judge Court. Judge Pritam Singh instructed the plaintiff and his legal counsel to pursue their claims in the appropriate venue.
The petition seeks not only a survey of the Dargah but also the installation of a statue of Sankat Mochan Mahadev, along with the right to perform Hindu rituals at the site. Additionally, it calls for the removal of what Gupta terms “unauthorized occupation” by the Dargah Committee, which has vehemently opposed these claims, labeling them as conspiratorial.
Gupta’s petition contends that historical records from the time of Shah Jahan and Akbar do not support the establishment of a mosque or Dargah at the site, asserting that a temple dedicated to Shiva once existed there, where worship and rituals were conducted. A 1911 book by Ajmer resident Harvilas Sharda is cited as evidence of the temple’s past, claiming that remnants of the temple contributed to the construction of the 75-foot Buland Darwaza within the Dargah complex.
The Muslim community, represented by Nasruddin Chishti, successor of Dargah Diwan Syed Zainul Abedin; and Sarwar Chishti, Secretary of Anjuman Syedzadgan, has strongly condemned the claims. They emphasized that any attempts to undermine their religious sites would not be tolerated. Sarwar Chishti characterized the allegations as absurd and questioned Gupta’s credibility, noting that he has multiple criminal cases against him.
Chishti further asserted that such provocations threaten communal harmony and called for action against individuals promoting divisive narratives. He underscored the Dargah as a symbol of India’s diverse heritage and urged respect for its sanctity, reflecting the deep emotional ties millions have to Khwaja Garib Nawaz.
