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‘Declare Ajmer Dargah A Shiva Temple’: Political Row Heats Up In Rajasthan Over Hindu Sena Petition

A major political row erupted in Rajasthan after the Hindu Sena leader filed a petition in a court and sought to declare Ajmer Dargah as the Sankatmochan Shiva Temple. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has questioned the central government over the issue, while Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas blamed the BJP for the controversy.

Collage of Ajmer Dargah and Chaddar Offered to it
Collage of Ajmer Dargah and Chaddar Offered to it (ETV Bharat)

By ETV Bharat English Team

Published : Sep 28, 2024, 4:47 PM IST

Jaipur (Rajasthan):A major political row has erupted in the state after the rightwing Hindu Sena National President Vishnu Gupta filed a petition seeking to declare the Ajmer Sharif Dargah of the revered Sufi saint Khawaja Mohideeen Chisti a Shiva temple.

Congress Leader Blames BJP

Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for triggering controversy over Ajmer Dargah. He alleged that after losing 11 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan, BJP leaders were continuously conspiring in the state.

“BJP is seeing its defeat in the upcoming elections in Haryana and Kashmir. This is the reason why the BJP is trying to spoil the communal harmony in the entire country,” he said.

The former minister also slammed Hindu Sena, alleging that the group is conspiring at the behest of the BJP to divert attention from basic issues like inflation, poverty, and unemployment.

“The double-engine government of the BJP has completely failed, so they are doing politics of fear and religion,” he said.

Owaisi Raises Concern

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and MP Asassudin Owaisi raised concerns over litigation against Ajmer Dargah.

Taking to X, he wrote, “There’s now litigation against Khaja Moinuddin Chishti’s (R) dargah in Ajmer claiming that it is a temple. Khaja Chishti continues to be a guiding light for Indian Muslims; his dargah is arguably one of the most visited spiritual sites for Muslims.”

He also tagged Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in the post, asking for his ministry’s stand on this issue.

“Will you stand by the Durgah Khawaja Saheb Act of 1955 & the 1991 Places of Worship Act? Will you enforce the laws? A “public servant” under the 1955 Act has been praising the Modi government’s Waqf Bill. What is his stand on this litigation? Waqf Bill will make our places of worship vulnerable to encroachment & desecration.”

Know About Hindu Sena Petition

Gupta had filed a petition in the CJM court in Ajmer, claiming that the Ajmer Dargah was a “Sankat Mochan Shiv Temple.”

The petition claims that the Dargah was built on top of the temple and that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) should survey this place. It also sought to give worship rights to Hindus inside the Dargah.

Earlier, the petitioner's lawyer, Shashi Ranjan Kumar, had told ETV Bharat that the petition claiming that the Dargah was a Shiva Temple was filed in the civil court by mistake. “Therefore, an application will be given in the session court for hearing in the jurisdictional court. The session court will decide on the application which court will hear the case,” he had said.

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